THE inaugural LM Auctioneers Zaka Girls Soccer Festival produced its first champions on Saturday, but the bigger victory for the young footballers came when Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Jacob Nzvede challenged Chapungu Queens to scout talent from the tournament.
The tournament sponsored by LM Auctioneers at St Joseph High School in Jerera suddenly carried the prospect of something much bigger, with scouts from established women’s clubs watching girls who rarely get such exposure.
Maningi Youth Soccer Academy provided the perfect ending to a memorable day, edging hosts St Joseph High School 1-0 in a fiercely contested final to lift the inaugural Under-21 title.
Yet the football itself was only part of the story.
Air Marshall Nzvede, who was guest of honour, admitted that the quality on display had almost persuaded him to take on another role.
“I wish to confess that as I was watching the matches and the levels of talent on display, I was tempted to wear the hat of a talent scout,” he said.
“This was mainly motivated by the reality that the Air Force of Zimbabwe has a women’s soccer team, which is called Chapungu Queens, and this team is competing for top honours in the Zimbabwe Women’s Premier Soccer League.”
He then went a step further, revealing that he had instructed the club’s leadership to look closely at the players.
“I am accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer, that is CEO of Chapungu Queens, Group Captain Madzivanzira, who is here with me, and I have challenged him to work with his team to use this platform to also identify potential players for the team.”
For girls accustomed to competing largely within their school communities, the presence of scouts offered a glimpse of where their football abilities might take them.
LM Auctioneers founder and managing director Lewis Muzhara, who sponsored the festival, was particularly pleased to see women’s football personalities and club representatives travelling to Zaka.
“It’s a pleasure seeing former legends coming from as far as Bulawayo and Harare to support this initiative,” Muzhara said.
“These are the things that you want to see in our football, whereby those that played are also playing a part in developing our girls.”
He said representatives from several clubs, including Chapungu Queens and Correctional Queens, had attended the festival to assess emerging talent.
“They are here scouting the future of our national team,” he said.
On the pitch, Maningi justified that attention with a championship-winning performance.
Their narrow victory over St Joseph settled a final in which the hosts pushed hard for the title but could not find a way past their opponents.
Maningi’s success extended to the individual awards.
Striker Passionate Mauya claimed the Golden Boot after scoring four goals and providing one assist during the tournament.
Teammates Sheilah Chiwara and Lilian Zonde collected the Best Defender and Golden Glove awards respectively, while Maningi coach Talent Bizeki was named Coach of the Tournament.
One of the day’s youngest standout performers was 12-year-old Primrose Nzvengende of Maningi, who received the Outstanding Young Player award.
Her recognition was particularly significant at a competition designed to give girls of different ages an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.
Despite losing the final, St Joseph had reason to celebrate.
Yolanda Shuwa was named Player of the Tournament, while teammate Lynn Chamisa claimed the Best Midfielder award.
The hosts also received the Fair Play award.
Chimbwembwe High School’s Felistas Manyoka was recognised as the Most Improved Player, while Mutsambwa High School received the Most Disciplined Team award.
Rudhanda High School completed the podium in third place, with St Joseph taking silver and Maningi collecting the championship gold.
Eight teams participated in the competition, with matches played over 20-minute halves separated by a five-minute break.
Beyond the individual performances, Commander Nzvede encouraged the players to take their sporting ambitions seriously without neglecting their education.
“Soccer and other sporting activities are no longer just recreational activities, but they are now careers,” he said.
He also reminded the girls that football was not the only career path available to them through the Air Force.
“I therefore challenge young girls here today to work hard to excel in their academic studies so that they may consider pursuing careers in trades such as flying, aircraft engineering, among others.”
The festival brought together St Joseph, Mutimwi, Mutsambwa, Dzoro, Chimbwembwe, Magura, Maningi Youth Soccer Academy and Rudhanda.
Held under the theme “No to Drugs, Mental Health Has No Boundaries,” the event also placed attention on challenges affecting young girls beyond the football field.
For Muzhara, the turnout of football personalities and scouts was evidence that a tournament organised in a rural district could attract serious interest from the wider football community.
