Shout out loud to our boys for bringing the first trophy home. On Saturday the 23rd of July 2022, Seke 1 High School in collaboration with Christ Embassy Church hosted a successful inaugural Healing Streams Soccer Tournament. It was a U-18 soccer tournament that featured 8 teams that participates in the Chitungwiza F6 Youth League. The tournament’s format was a knockout tournament meaning a loss was straight elimination (wafa-wafa), this made the tournament unique, interesting, competitive and a joy to watch.
With so much hype and fun around the field of play, the tournament didn’t disappoint the biggest surprise coming from the first round of action was the elimination of Marisa Academy which was deemed the tournament favorite. Marisa was booted out by Zengeza Busters who had a fine tournament as they also searched for the ultimate victory. Marisa was eliminated with Dreamers, Legal Lions and MC99. Those were the first four teams to go back home with their heads down.
The tournament went further to the second stage of action with CSPRO playing against Dynasty. One of the best games of the tournament with Dynasty proving to be a hard nut to crack. The Dynasty defense was solid and clinical and gave the CSPRO strikers a hard time. The match went goalless and the two teams had to be separated through a penalty shootout, CSPRO were eventual winners with a comfortable (4-2) victory from the penalties, and boom, CSPRO were in the final. The second semi-final was rather a David and Goliath challenge of Zengeza Busters up against Ramah. David (Zengeza Busters) didn’t disappoint as it busted 10 men Ramah by 2 goals to nil.
The best two teams of the day were finally CSPRO and Zengeza Busters, who had to fight it out for the ultimate prize of the day. CSPRO were red-eyed and seeking revenge after they lost 2 nil away at Busters a fortnight ago and eventually got their revenge. A final to remember for the boys as it was a 50-50 contest with both teams attacking to their very best. In the 15th minute, it was no other than the 14-year-old Takudzwa Darken who broke the deadlock with a fine shot from close range. From there onwards, all hell broke loose for Zengeza Busters as they were now being attacked from the left, right, and center. It was in the next 10 minutes that CSPRO’s Happison Tsamwise danced through the defense going past four defenders before slotting home a cool finish and it went to the break CSPRO leading by two goals to nil.
The boys went for the break with high spirits coming up with another Takudzwa Darken moment to make it three before the majestic and mercurial left-footer Tatenda “Boss Tate” Mherekumombe dribbled past 4 defenders and rounded up the goalminder and was left with an empty net, marking arguably the goal of the tournament and it was all CSPRO. Family, friends, fans, players, and the technical team were together in solidarity happy as the match ended with a 4-nil victory.
It was a day to remember for CSPRO with Hillary Chitsumba being crowned the goalkeeper of the tournament with two clean sheets and some fantastic saves in the semi-final penalty shootout. Takudzwa Darken was the top goal scorer with 4 goals and was also named the player of the tournament for leading his team to success, a remarkable achievement for a young man playing for the U-18 team. A standing ovation was made to the winning captain who played with passion and determination Captain Kunashe “Luka10” Chando who had the last smile as he lifted the trophy up high into the sky. Indeed, the boys made the academy proud and we hope for a continuation of the type of spirit we witnessed.
A total reflection of the good work being done by Coach M. Zengeni and Coach Z. Beta as well as the technical team behind them. Generally, CSPRO’s mission to develop and mentor the local youngsters in football, linking with education is taking some positive and productive steps.
#FortheYouths