EX-WARRIORS midfielder Johannes “Tshisa” Ngodzo and Chicken Inn talisman Kuda Mahachi will be the star attractions at this year’s Copa-Cola Silver Jubilee tournament that will be launched this morning at Mzingwane High School in Esigodini.
REPORT BY HENRY MHARA
This year’s tournament will run under the theme Crazy for Good with Soccer.
Former Warriors skipper Benjani Mwaruwari was also supposed to grace the occasion, but excused himself as he is occupied with promotion play-offs with his South African club Chippa United.
Organisers yesterday said that Tshisa, the 2002 Soccer Star of the Year runner-up, has confirmed participation and so has Mahachi, the former national Under 20 captain.
The two are products of the tournament, with Ngodzo, who now doubles as a player and assistant coach at Southern Region Division One side Bantu Rovers, having won it with Mzilikazi in 1999.
Highlanders secretary-general Andrew Tapela, a former Mzingwane student, is also expected to attend the function.
Warriors vice-captain Washington Arubi graced the launch at Manunure High last year while Ovidy Karuru was at Dewure High School for the 2011 launch.
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Mzingwane High School are the defending champions after beating Pamushana High School 1-0 in the Under 16 finals held in Victoria Falls last year.
Harare school Vainona Girls High is the holder of the title for the past two editions in the girls category, and will also travel to Mzingwane for the launch.
As has been the norm over the years, the tournament will kick off at the zonal level with winners progressing to the district level, then the provincial championships, culminating in national finals set for Sakubva Stadium from the 26th to the 28th of this month.
Outstanding players in the tournament will be selected to the Copa Coca-Cola Dream Team.
Coca-Cola has promised a better tourney this year. A statement from the company read: “This year’s talent identification tournament is bigger and better as it is symbolic of the Crazy for Good Campaign that Coca-Cola is running the world over.
“The participants and eventual winners should be inspired to do well as the Coca-Cola Dream Team would be selected to go to South Africa for a two-week training camp.
“The tournament has grown from strength to strength with the introduction in 2000 of a regional competition involving Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi select teams from the tournament.”
