Chapungu, Mambas clash in Heart Cup final

Bruce Chikuni

A CLOSE battle is on the cards this afternoon as women’s football sides Chapungu Queens and Black Mambas clash in the inaugural Heart Cup final at The Heart Stadium.

Kick-off is at 3pm.

Incoming Mighty Warriors coach SithetheleIwe “Kwinji” Sibanda saw her Chapungu outfit overcome Herentals Queens 1-0 to secure their place in the final, while Mambas surprised Harare City 2-1.

Herentals and Harare City will now get the day’s proceedings underway with a bronze medal showdown before the final.

Some jaw-dropping goals have been scored in this tournament, but Maningi Academy goalkeeper Shasha Matshonga has hogged the limelight with some fine saves.

Now, the focus has shifted to the final in which Sibanda’s Chapungu start as favourites.

Their captain Natasha Ndowa expressed excitement at playing in her maiden final.

“We just don’t know how to thank Prophet Magaya. We are playing a tournament for the first time and it is something we cannot afford to take for granted,” she said.

“The feeling cannot be described by words alone and everyone has been asking if we can play another tournament this season because it really felt good.

“We made it into the final and we are going to give our best fight.”

Black Mambas captain Belinda Sibanda feels they have an equal chance to put their hands on the big prize.

She downplayed the notion that they were going into this fixture as underdogs.

“We are not going to just fulfil this fixture, but we are going to give our opponents a good run. Anything can happen in the final and I believe we are able to go blow for blow,” she said.

“It has been a good experience for us. We just hope that this is the start of many tournaments. I also want to thank the organisers of this competition for putting the girl child in the limelight.”

Black Mambas are led by Innocent Nyoni, who is also in charge of the team’s ZIFA Northern Region Soccer League side.

Nyoni revealed he was mentored by his counterpart, Kwinji 15, something which makes this fixture a student-versus-teacher affair.

He said he is relishing the chance to play against his mentor.

“It feels good that we made it into the finals against all the odds and I’m very proud of what the girls did to get us where we are,” he said.

“And it has also enabled me to face my mentor Kwinji 15, someone who helped me a lot at the start of my coaching career.

“It’s not going to be easy for us because we are playing an organised side; they are very competitive and it takes a lot to get a positive result against such a team.

“But I’m impressed with the fighting spirit that the girls are showing and I know they are ready to give their best fight.’’

Kwinji 15 said she was not reading much about what people had been saying ahead of the final, as they seem to be favoured by the odds to win the Heart Cup.

“There is no favourite in the final, and we are going to give our best from the beginning,” she said.

“We are very grateful to Prophet Magaya. This is a huge milestone for a league which had gone for a lengthy period without experiencing such a big event.

“He has brought smiles to the girls and it means a lot to every team which participated in this tournament.”