THE Nkurenkuru Combined School soccer field is expected to be a hive of activity when eight regional constituencies battle for bragging rights during the inaugural Kavango West Governor’s Cup this weekend.
The tournament is the brainchild of the region’s governor Sirka Ausiku, an ardent football aficionado, who sponsored N$20 000 towards the competition themed “clash of the constituencies”.
In collaboration with the Kavango West Football League Committee, she came up with the tournament as a development initiative for the youth following the regional soccer team’s dismal performance at the 2017 Namibian Newspaper Cup in Swakopmund during Easter.
The tournament will predominately feature players from u17 and u20 age groups, the organisers said.
Kavango West Football Committee public relations officer and tournament organising committee member Egidius Nambara said the governor was determined to see her region improve at future national tournaments.
“Being a football lover herself, honourable Ausiku was present at this tournament and watched all her team’s matches and was touched by the team’s poor performance. After receiving a report on the team’s participation at the tournament from the technical team, where a number of challenges were highlighted and recommendations were made, she decided to sponsor a tournament for the region’s youth,” Nambara said.
“All eight constituencies will contest for the cup, the Kavango West Football League committee will have the platform to scout for players for the under-17 and u-20 regional team for next year’s Newspaper Cup and the Scorpion Zinc Cup. Once a team is selected well in advance, it will then give the technical team ample time to train the boys and prepare them well for those tournaments,” he continued.
During Friday’s launch and draw, the organisers announced that the three-day tournament will be played in a league format consisting of two groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals from which the two finalists will be determined.
In Group 1 are Ncuncuni, Mankumpi, Mpungu and Ncamagoro. Group 2 consists of Musese, Nkurenkuru, Kapako and Tondoro.
The opening match will take place on Friday with a mouth watering clash between the two most feared constituencies Nkurenkuru taking on Tondoro. The second match will see the underrated Mankumpi take on Ncamagoro.
The champions will pocket N$5 000 plus a floating trophy and gold medals, with the runners-up guaranteed N$3 000 and silver medals. Third place is worth N$2 000 and bronze medals.
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