By McGeorge Mbare
Zezani High School were crowned Evangelical Lutheran Church of Zimbabwe champions after an impressive unbeaten run that culminated in a dramatic 3-2 penalty shootout victory over hosts Chegato High School in the final on Friday, 29 May 2026.
The Beitbridge outfit were drawn in Pool B alongside Mnene, Musume and Burure. Zezani dominated the group stages, opening their campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over Musume before edging Mnene 1-0.
They maintained their winning rhythm with a 2-0 win against Burure in their final group-stage fixture to finish top of Pool B.
Following their impressive group-stage performances, Zezani faced a strong Masase side in the semi-finals and produced another commanding display to secure a 3-1 victory, booking their place in the championship final against Pool A winners Chegato High School.
The final proved to be a closely contested encounter, with neither side able to break the deadlock during regulation time as the match ended 0-0.
The championship was ultimately decided through a penalty shootout, where Zezani held their nerve to emerge 3-2 winners and claim the coveted title.
Chegato had secured their place in the final after topping Pool A, which consisted of Masase, Manama and Gurungweni.
Speaking after the championship victory, Zezani coach George Mageleza praised his players for their outstanding achievement.
“Congratulations to the boys for this result. They remained focused throughout the entire tournament and showed a huge winning mentality,” said Mageleza.
Following their success, Zezani will now look to build on this achievement and maintain their winning momentum as they prepare for upcoming competitions, including the Mapumani Tournament, the Ziyah Annual Tournament and the NASH Games.