IT’S probably the decisive weekend in the Castle Lager Premiership title race as FC Platinum just need to avoid defeat against fading Harare giants CAPS United on Sunday to be crowned champions.
The Zvishavane-based side requires just a single point from the remaining four matches to seal a fourth straight Premiership title. If they win this year’s league title as expected, they will make history by becoming only the third Zimbabwean football club to lift four successive championships after giants Highlanders and Dynamos.
In the Zifa Northern Region Division One League, the curtain will also come down with a potentially exciting Axis Solutions Super 8 Cup final between Simba Bhora and Golden Eagles at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday.
And far from Harare, at Kanyongo Shopping Centre, some 17km west of Mutoko Centre, there is another potentially exciting final taking place. This year’s final of the KB Kanyongo Football tournament will feature Zisengwe FC and Kanyongo FC.
Eight teams took part in the tournament which started with the group stage. And having finished as runnersup after losing 4-0 to Dip FC in last year’s final, Kanyongo FC coach Joseph Mugombi has revealed his desire to lift the trophy this year.
“We are geared up for this year’s tournament. Our preparations have gone well and we are just waiting for the day to come. We can’t lose in the final. “Everyone is excited and looking forward to the final on Saturday,” Mugombi said.
“We are obviously anticipating a difficult match. Zisengwe has been doing well this year and they will definitely not make it any easy for us.” Mugombi is grateful to sponsors for the role they are playing in keeping youths away from drugs while helping them concentrate on school through the tournament. “This tournament has helped a lot of children especially from our community.
“A lot of children were indulging in drugs but because of this tournament all that is now a thing of the past. We are also glad that we now have proper football structures in our area,” he said.
Kanyongo have in their ranks exciting players like Nyasha Muganhu, Lawrence Chimudzi, Stanley Tembo and Charles Katsande who attended trials at Dynamos after impressing last year. Katsande alongside Tinotendaishe Nyamanzi and goalkeeper Hilton Nyamakope were scouted by Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya and his assistant coaches of Gift Muzadzi and Naison Muchekela, who graced the tournament before inviting them for further assessment in Harare.
Zisengwe coach Eddie Kutyauripo is equally excited and has declared his charges ready for the final. “We are ready for the game. We have prepared well. “We will try to make sure we don’t make mistakes, and we are very excited to have the chance to win this important tournament in our rural home,” Kutyauripo said.
FC Platinum assistant coach Daniel Veremu, who hails from Mutoko and a beneficiary of a similar tournament some two decades ago, was supposed to be the guest of honour at the tournament. His team’s commitments in the league, however, made it difficult for him to travel to Mutoko.
Zifa Mashonaland East chairperson Oscar Tsvuura will now be the guest of honour at the ever-growing tournament which has since become a permanent feature on the football calendar and is held in honour of the late Kanyongo, father to the coordinator Gideon, who now resides in the United States.
The KB Kanyongo football tournament, which is sponsored by Kanyongo’s eight children, has been hailed for helping young kids in the community to stay away from drugs while helping them concentrate on school.
The Kanyongo family embarked on a programme three years ago in which they are helping to combat early marriage and to raise girls’ confidence, aspirations and school attendance through sport in rural Mutoko. The programme mainly targets the vulnerable groups and is also extended to the young boys in the community as a way of keeping them away from drugs.