Africa-Press – Tanzania. KWAHANI FC were crowned Masauni Cup champions after edging Mwembeladu FC 1-0 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw at the end of the 90 minutes, to walk away a trophy. and a 5m/- cash prize.
Kwahani were the first to open the goal account in the first half through Abdalla Himidi before Mwembeladu equalized in the late second half through Tariq Mzee, forcing the game into penalties.
Mundhir Omar Hassan converted the decisive spot-kick to hand Kwahani the title in a tightly contested showdown.
Kwahani reached the final after a 2-1 semi-final win over Kwalinatu FC, while Mwembeladu advanced with a 3-1 penalty shootout victory against Kisiwandui. Mwembeladu walked away with 2m/- as the runners-up.
Zanzibar’s Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Riziki Pembe Juma, said the government will continue working with stakeholders to nurture youth talent through football and create employment opportunities within and beyond the Isles.
He said the government is committed to using football as a platform to uplift young people economically and help them build their future careers, citing star player Feisal Salum as a role model.
“We want to see more players like Feisal Salum emerging and flying Zanzibar’s flag locally and internationally,” the minister said, noting that investments in sports infrastructure are ongoing to expand opportunities for youth participation.
He added that constituency-level tournaments play a key role in identifying new talent, keeping youth engaged in productive activities and strengthening unity among communities.
Kikwajuni MP and Hamad Yussuf Masauni said the tournament was launched to give youth a platform to showcase their skills and foster cohesion, urging continued support for grassroots sports development.
He also called on participating players to uphold discipline and sportsmanship to ensure the competition meets its intended goals.
