THE National Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) Under-20 schools soccer tournament reaches the provincial stage today with schools expected to converge at different venues across the country with the sole aim of getting a ticket to the national finals.
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Churchill High School are the tournament’s defending champions and will host the provincial finals for Harare Province starting this morning.
However, the school’s entry to the national finals, to be hosted by Prince Edward on October 4 to 5, is automatic as they are the defending champions.
Prince Edward by virtue of being the hosts, have qualified for the national finals. That makes three the teams that would represent Harare and provide a good chance for the province to retain the title.
While most of the provinces are holding their games today, the Midlands held theirs last Friday at Chaplin High School with Rio Tinto Zhombe emerging winners. Matabeleland South was expected to stage theirs yesterday.
In Masvingo, district winners will converge at Dewure High School in Gutu and the battle for the national finals ticket is expected from the perennial contenders Pamushana High School who should get competition from hosts and Mashoko High School.
Gifford will play host to Bulawayo’s provincial finals while Chinhoyi High School would be a hive of activity for teams from Mashonaland West.
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Chemhanza and Mukondwa High school, two of Mashonaland East’s powerhouses, are expected to take their rivalry to Marondera High School while Mamunyadza Secondary School will host the games in Manicaland.
Schools in Matabeleland North will converge at Gloag High while Hermann Gmeiner will be looking to use home advantage and win the ticket to the finals when they host teams from Mashonaland Central.
The provincial winners will then join Rio Tinto who have already qualified, hosts Prince Edward and defending champions Churchill at the finals.
Competition at the national finals is expected to be tough this time around after the coming on board of Population Services International Zimbabwe (PSI) as the competition’s title sponsor.
The sponsorship package by PSI, which was unveiled in Harare this week, would include providing all the essentials for qualified teams, including kits, accommodation, fuel and food.
The sponsorship is part of PSI’s Pinda muSmart/Ngena kuSmart Male Circumcision programme. National finals winner will walk away with a floating trophy plus $1 000 while the losing finalists will get $500. The winner of the third and fourth play-offs will get $250.
National finals draw Group A: Mash West, Rio Tinto Zhombe, Mat South
Group B: Churchill, Mat North, Mash East
Group C: Prince Edward, Mash Central, Manicaland
Group D: Harare, Masvingo, Bulawayo
