Adachi in control as Binga Pirates hang on by a thread

IT is still early days but new Southern Region Division One side Adachi Football Club are proving to be serious title contenders.

The Philani “Beefy” Ncube-coached side made it two wins out of two at after dispatching Ratanang 3-1 at Luveve Stadium on Friday.

Their goals came from Tawanda Zinaka who scored a brace and Bothwell Nyathi who found the target once.

Adachi top the table with six points. Casmyn, Mosi Rovers, Talen Vision, CIWU, Bosso 90 and ZPC Hwange follow on the log standings in that order, all with four points after two matches.

Other championship contenders, Talen Vision and Arenel drew 1-1 in Filabusi on Saturday.

Adachi, bankrolled by Australia-based Adrian Mtungwazi have been going through their recruitment exercise at the Academy of Cricket Excellence in Bulawayo.

In July last year, the Australia based Mtungwazi, through his company, Adachi Disability Services gave Zimbabwe Saints a US$30 000 injection which proved not enough as Chauya Chikwata could not maintain their spot in the Zifa Southern Region Division One after they got relegated at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Saints are however still part of the league after some teams pulled out last season.

Beefy has veteran former national team and Highlanders goalkeepers’ trainer Peter “Oxo” Nkomo and ex-Warriors midfielder Johannes Ngodzo. Adachi have experienced players in their ranks that include Welcome Ndiweni, Crispen Machisi and Zinaka.

Meanwhile, Zifa Southern Region has placed Indosakusa and Sabona Mzilikazi on standby to join the Division One league this season.

This comes as the participation of Binga Pirates this season is in doubt.

Binga Pirates are facing financial challenges and are most likely to pull out of the league and will be replaced by either Indosakusa or Sabona Mzilikazi.

They were meant to host Ajax Hotspurs at the weekend but the fixture was postponed.
Zifa Southern Region board member finance Tizirayi Luphahla confirmed the latest development.

“We have two sides on standby. The status of Binga Pirates at this moment is not certain. If they fail to play in the league this season we will replace them with one of the side’s on standby,” said Luphahla.

Interestingly, Indosakusa pulled out of the league after facing financial challenges midway into last season.

They are said to be under new management this time around.

Southern Region Soccer League Division One Week Two Results
Adachi 3-1 Ratanang, DRC 0-1 CIWU, Talen vision 1-1 Arenel Movers, Jordan Sinott 1-1 Bosso 90, Mountain Climbers 3-1 Main Line, Makhandeni Pirates 1-1 Mosi Rovers, Casmyn 3-0 Zimbabwe Saints, ZPC Hwange 1-0 Indlovu Iyanyathela, Binga Pirates v Ajax (postponed). -@innocentskizoe.