Clive Thabo Dube
Sports Reporter
ALL roads lead to Chinotimba Stadium for the inaugural Shanyai Football Tournament.
The event is hosted by Shanyai Football Club who are bankrolled by a United Kingdom, (UK) based tourism company.
The Shanyai Football tournament is expected to accommodate the four clubs from the ZIFA Matebeleland North Region Division that finished in the top four last season. The tournament will also feature women and social legends soccer.
“The tournament is the first of it’s kind with the main aim being to assist Matabeleland North teams with training equipment and kits as we recognized that many teams in the province have challenges when it comes to sponsorship. We also aim to make it an annual tournament and get more companies to partner up and sponsor Matabeleland North based teams.” Said Lungisani Innocent Nyathi.
The organizers said the tournament is not meant to make profits for the organizing club and its mother company. The tourney is set to help not only the players to play in at a fun high-level competition, but to expand the Victoria Falls community in the participation of football.
“The tourism industry has over the years been accused of lacking interest in sponsoring football as a game despite having potential to support the sport. Hence the other objective is to motivate local tourism companies to sponsor local clubs. We also aim to support the sports tourism ecosystem in Victoria Falls for all operators in the tourism and hospitality industry with the particular aim of making all companies visible locally and globally.” He also said.
All participating teams will get kits and training equipment. There will also be a Shanyai Cup on the table.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Nakuluba Warriors FC Coach Albert Mudimba said, ” Football fans in our resort town, can not wait to witness this potentially thrilling tournament. Nothing of this magnitude has been hosted in our tourism resort city past the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.”
He said the competition is very competitive.
“Its a very competitive tournament indeed, since only 20 -40 minutes are played per match. This puts more pressure to the teams and goals are very much needed to win.” Said Mudimba.