Vainona High School of Harare are this year’s winners of the Under-20 Girls Copa Coca-Cola Cup after they beat Selonga of Matabeleland South 1-0 in the final of the competition played at Gifford High School yesterday.
Vainona got a cash price of $1 500 and a trophy for winning the tournament.
Selonga walked away with $1 200 and a trophy for being the losing finalists while Rufaro of Masvingo were the third runners-up and got $1 000 and a trophy after beating Manicaland‘s Rukweza 4-1 in the third and fourth play-off.
Rukweza will not be going back to Manicaland empty-handed as they also picked up $500.
Eight other schools, Sikhulile and Montrose (Bulawayo), Hermann Gmeiner (Mashonaland Central), Inkomo (Mashonaland West), Rutanhira (Mashonaland East), Hwange (Matabeleland North), Ngomeni (Midlands), and Chidembo (Mashonaland Central) who participated in the competition’s round robin stage were each awarded $300.
Selonga had the upper hand over Vainona in the final but a defensive lapse in the second half cost them as Vainona’s Florence Kandarira capitalized on the fluff to give the Harare school the winner.Vainona coach Langton Kagwere was ecstatic despite admitting they faced strong opponents from their first match of the tournament.
“We were in one of the toughest groups but we managed to win and after winning the semi-finals, the players’ confidence was boosted. Our game plan was to catch them on the counter and we managed to do that,” he said.
Mqondisi Mguni of Selonga said his side was outdone because the absence of one of their key player Judith Maphosa, who fell ill during the games and had to be taken to hospital.
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“The girls played very well but unfortunately we lost the match. We controlled the game in the first half but we were punished because we did not utilise our chances. One of our key players Judith Maphosa had to be taken to hospital. Had she been part of the team, I am certain she could have scored,” he said.
