BULAWAYO IPT HOCKEY TOURNAMENT: HARARE A CLAIM LADIES CROWN, MASVINGO A UNTOUCHABLE IN MEN’S DIVISION

The Bulawayo IPT Hockey Tournament wrapped up with two provinces stamping their authority on the 2026 edition — Harare A dominating the Ladies division and Masvingo A running riot in the Men’s pool.

The Ladies Pool: Harare set the pace
When the Inter Provincial Tournament tipped off, few doubted Harare would be contenders. By the final whistle, they left no doubt they were champions.

Harare swept the group with ruthless efficiency, winning all three matches to finish on a perfect 9 points. Their campaign opened with a statement 2-0 victory over Matabeleland A. But it was the 5-2 shootout against Masvingo that announced their intent fast breaks, clinical finishing, and a team playing with swagger. They closed it out 3-0 against Matabeleland B, ending with 10 goals for, just 2 against, and a +8 goal difference.

Masvingo claimed second place with 6 points. Their only loss came in that thriller against Harare, but they bounced back to edge Matabeleland A 2-1 and dispatch Matabeleland B 3-0. With 7 goals scored, they had firepower led by Nanchie Chihota, who bagged 3 goals to top the scoring charts.

Matabeleland A grabbed third with a gritty 1-0 win over their provincial sisters Matabeleland B, but losses to Harare and Masvingo left them on 3 points. Goals were hard to come by, with just 1 scored in three games.

It was a tournament to forget for Matabeleland B. Three games, three defeats, zero goals scored and seven conceded. Still, they never stopped running.

Meanwhile on the Men’s Pool: Masvingo A in a league of their own
The Men’s pool was owned by Masvingo A. Four games, four wins, and a trophy that never looked like going anywhere else.

Masvingo A came out swinging and never let up. They edged Harare A 1-0 in a tight opener, then hit their stride: 3-0 over Matabeleland A, 4-1 against Masvingo B, and a clinical 4-0 to finish off Matabeleland B. Twelve points from twelve. Twelve goals scored, only one conceded, and a +11 goal difference. This was control from start to finish.

Harare A gave chase with 9 points. They took care of both Matabeleland sides and Masvingo B, but that opening 0-1 loss to Masvingo A proved the difference between first and second. Six goals for, three against. Solid, but not enough to rattle the champions.

The real fireworks came from third-placed Matabeleland A. Despite finishing with 6 points, they were the tournament’s entertainers. An 8-0 demolition of Masvingo B and a 5-0 rout of Matabeleland B pushed them to 14 goals more than any other team. Leaky at the back cost them, with 5 conceded, but up front they had the man of the moment.

That man was Tatenda Kanyangarara. Eight goals in four games. A hat-trick here, a brace there, and suddenly every defender in Bulawayo knew his name. He topped the scoring charts by a mile and dragged Matabeleland A to third almost single-handedly.

Masvingo A’s strength was the opposite ,spread the load. Tadiwa Chigumira led them with 3, while Philip Machaya, Aleck Chamunorwa, and Gift Chamunorwa added 2 each. Seven different Masvingo A players hit the net. Depth wins tournaments.

At the bottom, it was a tough week for the B sides. Masvingo B managed a 0-0 draw with Matabeleland B to earn their only point, but shipped 14 goals. Matabeleland B also finished on 1 point from the same stalemate and, worse, failed to score a single goal in four matches.

On the individual awards in the Ladies, the golden boot went to Masvingo’s Nanchie Chihota with 3 goals. Harare’s attack shared the load: Chiyedza Chiseya and Mufarowashe Matambo netted 2 each, while Ruvarashe Mushavi, Tanyaradzwa Changa, and Ruvarashe Chasakwa all chipped in. Goalkeeper of the Tournament for the Ladies was Matabeleland A’s Anne-Marie Tityiwe, winning the award for the second year in a row.

For the Men, s individual awards Tatenda Kanyangarara of Matabeleland A ran away with the top scorer honour on 8 goals. Masvingo A’s Tadiwa Chigumira was next with 3. Harare A shared theirs around ,Mike Gumbura, Kevin January, Irvine January, and Charles Makombe all grabbed one each. Goalkeeper of the Tournament for the Men was Masvingo A’s Fleming Muzuwa.

Speaking to Fanzone, Tournament Director Tafadzwa Makamure expressed gratitude to the dignitaries who graced the occasion: Permanent Secretary Nicholas Moyo, Chief Director Dr Chidakwa, Deputy Director Isaiah Mpofu, Sports and Recreation Commissioner David Simba, and Hockey Association of Zimbabwe President Humphrey Chigwedere.

She added, “It was a successful tournament. Thank you to the Bulawayo Hockey Board for hosting us. We wish to see more provinces taking part in this major tournament for hockey in Zimbabwe in the future.”