Andrew
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
SUCH was the crisis at Triangle when Jairos Tapera took over in January that they had to register only 20 players, 17 of them with no Premiership experience whatsoever.
That calamity was caused by a massive player exodus that hit the club soon after coach Taurai Mangwiro announced his departure in December, four years after taking over from the late David Mandigora.
Most of the senior players, including skipper Collins Dhuwa, Timothy January, Delic Murimba, Takabva Mawaya and Donald Mudadi, left the club when their contracts expired on December 31.
It all looked bleak at the Lowveld-based side.
Under Mangwiro, Triangle had registered four points from three matches.
They opened their campaign with a 0-1 defeat at Bulawayo Chiefs before recovering to beat Dynamos 1-0 in the second match.
Mangwiro also presided over Triangle’s 3-2 win at ZPC Kariba in Week Three.
Tapera took over the reins on January 17, while Mangwiro was unveiled at Harare City a week later, and as fate would have it, Triangle and Harare City clashed at Gibbo Stadium in Week Four.
The match ended 0-0.
Since then, Triangle have won four and lost once.
They beat Black Rhinos 2-1 at Sakubva, Ngezi 1-0 at Gibbo, Whawha 4-1 at the same venue, before upsetting Bulawayo City 3-1 at Barbourfields Stadium last weekend.
Their only loss under Tapera was a 2-1 defeat by surprise packages Manica Diamonds at Sakubva Stadium in Week Seven.
Triangle have now amassed 19 points from nine games, their best start since 2015 when “The Sugar Boys” amassed 20 points from the same number of matches under Zambian coach Kelvin Kaindu.
They are in the top four and within touching distance of leaders Chicken Inn as they prepare to face a resurgent Highlanders at Gibbo this afternoon.
While Tapera is cognisant of the huge Bosso task that awaits him, the vastly travelled and experienced gaffer should also be commended for the way he has silently rebuilt a dismantled Triangle side.
Interestingly, he has done it with a group of rejects and a collection of unheralded players.
“It was very difficult to come this far, especially in assembling this team,” he told The Sunday Mail Sport.
“We had to look around and get those players that were rejected by all the other teams.
“But, you know what? This group has just shown that players will always perform when given an opportunity.
“We had to register 20 of the 25 players needed, and 17 of them have never played Premier League football before.”
Some of the unknown players now at Triangle are Simba Verenga, Tapiwa Mutunami, Blessed Dzingai, Takunda Mkanga, Tinashe Kabanda, Godfrey Chitsunga, White Nyasoka, Tawanda Musariri, Takunda Mawarire and Misheck Ngwenya.
Mawarire was registered by Dynamos for the 2021 season, which eventually failed to kick off because of the coronavirus.
He was off-loaded before the start of the 2021/2022 season.
Veteran striker Donald Ngoma and former Dynamos midfielder Walter “Yaya” Sande are the players with Premiership experience.
Ngoma scored a brace while Sande added another as Triangle staged a stunning second-half comeback to beat Bulawayo City 3-1.
“We have managed the best start for Triangle since 2015. We attribute this to this group of players that are willing to learn.
“We sit down as the technical team to come up with the best time and training programmes that excite players.
“We are all one big family, together with the executive and the supporters. We wish to continue doing this for as long as God permits,” said Tapera.
The former national Under-20 team coach, who has also seen duty with Premiership club Yadah, also had stints in South Africa and Swaziland.
He is not new to the Lowveld, having coached Triangle when they were still in Division One before the late Gishon Ntini finally led The Sugar Boys into the Premiership in 2013.
Their best finish since then is fourth position in 2015 under Kaindu and in 2018 under Mangwiro.
And now Tapera has given the Chiredzi community renewed hope that 2022 could brew something sweet for Triangle.
Yet it’s still early days and the club have to prove their mettle against bigger opposition, starting with the clash against resurgent giants Highlanders this afternoon.
Bosso are on an upward trajectory, having picked up seven points in their last three matches.
The Bulawayo giants exploded during the Battle of Cities clash against CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium two weeks ago, putting up an electric second-half show that saw them come from behind to draw 1-1.
Bosso then trounced Yadah 3-0 at Barbourfields last Sunday, with Nqobizitha Masuku scoring his fifth goal of the season.
Bosso are also now solid at the back where they are enjoying the services of experienced centre-back Peter Muduhwa.
Fast-rising defender Andrew Mbeba is unfortunately out of this tie, but Devine Mhindirira, who has also been industrious in midfield, is available.
Bosso’s resurgence and experience is the reason why Triangle coach Tapera is respecting the Bulawayo giants.
Highlanders have recovered from a stuttering start and the arrival of Joel Lupahla as one of the assistants to Mandla Mpofu has added fresh impetus at the club.
“This weekend we are up against Highlanders. Yes, we respect them since they are one of the big three football clubs in the country (alongside Dynamos and CAPS United),” said Tapera.
“But, you see, we are in the same competition, so we can only be recognised after beating such teams and that is what we wish for,” said Tapera.
Bosso, who have now registered 12 points in nine outings, will be wearing their new Sakunda-branded kit for the first time.
The kit, worth US$70 000, was unveiled at Sakunda offices in Harare on Friday at a function that was graced by Sakunda Holdings founder Kuda Tagwirei and players and officials from rivals Dynamos.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu