Windfall for Monoz, team guaranteed whopping US$400 000

This follows the Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive Committee meeting which increased the prize money for teams that reached the Group stage to US$400 000 on Friday.

Monoz Treasure Bhekithemba Ndlovu told The Zimbabwean the club would get US$400 000 for reaching the mini-league phase of the tournament.

He said he was happy with the team’s achievement as the money would go a long way in servicing the club’s debts.

“We are all happy with the increase in prize money. It will go a long way in servicing our debts and paying players their bonuses and winning allowances.

Participation in this tournament has been draining us a lot. We are happy with the achievement of the team,” said Ndlovu. The Zimbabwean could, however not get how much each player would get as Ndlovu said the figures would be worked out.

For a modest club like Monomotapa formed only in 2003 and made its debut in the Premiership in 2005, reaching the group phase of the African Champions League is a very big achievement considering that seasoned campaigners like Highlanders and CAPS United failed to reach the Group stage of Africa’s Premier Club competition.

Their journey in the African Safari ended on Sunday when Monoz beat Nigeria’s Heartland 2-1 at their fortress Rufaro Stadium in Harare.

The match was, however, merely of academic interest as their dream of reaching the semi-final stage of the tournament was buried in Sousse when they lost to the Tunisians.

But, Monoz go out of the continental campaign with a proud home record having lost only to TP Mazembe 0-2 at their fortress Rufaro in August.

The Zimbabwe champions beat Miembemi of Zanzibar at home in the preliminary round stage and then sailed past AJAX CAPE Town of South Africa, claimed the scalp of Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast and also dismissed Eitole Du Sahel of Tunisia in their opening match in the group stage.