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The UNIFFAC qualifying tournament for the African Schools Football Championship came to an end on Sunday, December 4 at the Alphonse Massamba-Débat Stadium. CEG Mfilou of Brazzaville (Congo) in the girls’ category and Institut Horizon of Bukavu (DRC) in the boys’ category each pocketed USD 100,000 after their triumph.
The girls from CEG Mfilou confirmed their victory by winning again against the Uwezo School Complex of Goma (DRC) with a score of 1-0. The goal was scored by captain Ntsiba Nzeli from the penalty spot in the 28th minute. “It’s my thing, my speciality, the penalty. I’m not surprised that I converted the penalty that was whistled in our favour today,” she revealed in a post-match press conference.
The success of the CEG Mfilou greatly opens the doors of the continental phase planned in 2023. “We are proud to represent Congo and the UNIFFAC zone in this competition,” added the Congolese captain.
In the boys’ category, CS Horizon of Bukavu (DRC) put in an extraordinary performance. Beaten the day before (1-2) by Groupe Scolaire Louis Samuel (Congo), the school from South Kivu province took a nice revenge and got their ticket to the continental phase by inflicting a 3-0 defeat on the representative of the host country, in a match that they perfectly controlled.
UNIFFAC (Central Africa) has therefore unveiled its representatives for the continental tournament, just like COSAFA (Southern Africa), UNAF (North Africa), WAFU B (West Africa – zone B) before. The remainder of the zonal qualifiers will see WAFU A (West Africa – zone A) held from 19-21 December at the Estadio Municipal Santa Cruz in Cape Verde while CECAFA (Central-East Africa) will be played in January 2023.
In addition to discovering talent, the African Schools Football Championship is also intended to be “a tool for education and development”, as Sarah Mukuna, Director of CAF’s Member Associations Division, pointed out in her speech during the awards ceremony. This is reflected in the large prize money: USD 100,000 (for the winners in both categories) and USD 75,000 (for each of the unsuccessful finalists) distributed as rewards. These prizes will be used by the beneficiary institutions “to finance development projects”, explained Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, president of UNIFFAC and FECOFOOT. He expressed the wish to see all the countries of the zone present at the next edition.
Prize
- Fair play: Institut Uwuzo (girls) and Groupe scolaire Louis Samuel (boys)
- Best goalkeepers: Daïna Obili (CEG of Mfilou) and Jonathan Bahita (Horizon)
- Best players: Ngongo Wakama (Uwezo) and Akilini Kitoko (Horizon)
- Best scorer: Mugisho Kaliba (Horizon)
