Alberta Canada: Bossolona defied all the odds, and defeated Calgary's Afro Sharks, Calgary’s FC Pirates and Edmonton's ZimStars to lift the Calgary-Zim Soccer Tournament 2008 Trophy.
It was an inspired performance by Bossolona led by their ageless JB, *coach* who scooped the Top Goalscorer award. Bossolona started off on a high note when they thrashed FC Pirates from Calgary 5-1. In this game Bossolona opened the floodgates when Thembani *Mthimbani* Ncube threaded a defiance spliting pass which was drilled home by JB. JB came back to haunt the Pirates defence when he scored from an seemingly impossible angle, with a cheeky lob that left the Pirates keeper clutching thin air. Kwanele Nyathi,Thembani and Muzi completed the rout.
The second Bossolona match was against Calgary's Afro Sharks. With revenge on their minds Afro Sharks started the game at a cracking pace. They pinned Bossolona in their half, on the very beginning of the game. Bossolona midfielders started to string beautiful passes together with Cooper running circles around his opponents, ably supported by Muzi,Vusani and Kwanele*Mr Kwan*. It came as no suprise when Bossolona took the lead through their ageless JB who took advantage of a spilled cross by the usually sure footed Themba for the Sharks. Sharks undoing was putting their best player Themba in goals and assign recently signed Thuba and Starch the assignment of man marking JB who gave the youngsters a torrid time, whenever he possessed the ball.
The second half pace intensified with the Sharks looking for an equaliser but Dingie ran a lone battle in midfield and with their utility player Nothani missing from their line up it was not going to be their day.Bossolona killed off the game when Thembani rose above the entire defence to nod home a telling cross from Kwanele.It was game over ,then came the third and deciding game against Zimstars.
Zimstars led by their array of stars in Lawrence,Abdul,Mehluli just to mention a few found the going tough against the Bossolona defence well marshalled by Moore.Zimstars started on a high note when they were awarded a rather controversial penalty kick.Up stepped Lawrence to take the kick which was well saved by Mthoko *Short Cat* Ngozo who dived full length to produce a spectacular save.Sensing danger Bossolona began to string neat passes together and in one of their moves the ball ended in the Zimstars net in a rather offside position by Cooper but the ref ignored the cries.
Zimstars kept piling all the pressure but they found the defence unyielding ,,when they beat the defence they could not get past Mthoko who had his best game of the tournament. Bossolona could have doubled the lead when Cooper left Mkhululi for dead and with the keeper at his mercy only blasted the ball over the bar. Bossolona doubled their lead when Thembani finished off a good move involving Cooper.
Cooper put the final nail on the coffin when he beat a badly positioned Zimstars goalkeeper from a well taken free kick. Bossolona had announced their arrival on the big stage. Special mention should however go to Bossolona 's defence especially Moor, Mpilo, Butho, Mgcini and Ntokozo ably supported by Ngozo in goals.There was another *New kid on the Block* for Bossolona , Simba Mangwiro. Mangwiro covered almost every blade of grass, was instrumental in initiating most moves for Zimstars, offence.
It was a beautiful tournament played under good sportsmanship.This time Lodza, and Mpilo did not get to argue as they normally do. Hats off to Calgary for organising a good tournament. See you in Edmonton.To cap a fine afternoon Bossolona 's captain Cooper was voted best player of the tournament. The Bossolona team manager Amandla Qman Ngwenya commended his players for playing well as a team.
Thanks to M. Mzila in Alberta Canada for this report.
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