By Tendai Chisiri
Dickson Choto (DC) Academy edged Black Rhinos 1-0 to win the Challenge Football League (CFL) tourney sponsored by Prime Leisure Centre at Allan Wilson High School in Harare Saturday.
The annual CFL tournament took place with seven teams battling for honours.
Friendly Academy and DC Academy proceeded to the semi-finals after Yadah, Twinmart and Royal Oak in their group failed to fulfil their fixtures. Sports vale, Cranborne Bullets, Black Rhinos, FN Bank and Prime Rangers played round robin in their group.
In the semi-finals, Black Rhinos beat Friendly Academy 1-0 whilst DC Academy dismantled Prime Rangers Academy 1-0.
The final match was so tense as both teams failed to find the net in the first half. After the breather, DC Academy scored a brilliant goal sending the crowd in frenzy for such a wonderful shot in developmental league. CFL is for under – 21.
Chaos was about to reign supremacy because of the other teams who did not manage to fulfil their fixtures. Some saw it unfair for DC Academy and Friendly Academy to proceed to the semi-finals after playing one game to decide first and second position since their opponents where absent. The conflict was later resolved amicably.
DC Academy boss Dickson Choto urges clubs to have many players in the development league so that those that have game time in the top-flight league may not feature in their league.
” If a player gets game time in top-flight league on Sunday. He should give others a chance when the developmental league plays the next day”, he urged.
CFL chairman Sam Horonga applauded the tournament as a success.” It has been a success and very successful. It has shown we have good players who can compete in the premier league. The goals scored in terms of sport highlights that we have good players who can get there”, he said.
He condemned age-cheating and implored other PSL clubs to join the league as is with Black Rhinos.
”We are very strict about age-cheating as it corrupts the development of youngsters”.
”Whenever we hold the tournament, it runs smoothly because the sponsor is consistent. It is played mid-season before we go for the break”, said the league chairman who also sponsors through his business venture Prime Leisure Centre.
Over aged players where disqualified from taking part in the tournament as they were vetted through their national identification cards and club licences.
News Sport Online 