Arenel retain pole position

TABLE toppers Arenel FC took control of the Zifa Southern Region Division One league after registering a convincing 3-0 victory over third-placed ZPC Hwange in Bulawayo at the weekend.

A brace from Reason Sibanda and a goal from Simon Munawa ensured the sweet makers increased their lead at top of the table to four points.

Arenel coach Kudzai Mhandire was happy with the victory but said it was no reason for his charges to get carried away.

“When you are in the race you have to beat the ones you are in the race with in order to be the ultimate winner.

“This is what we did against ZPC Hwange. Credit should go to the players who stuck to the game plan and executed it well. As a team, we have an identity and we stuck to it hence we got the three points,” said Mhandire.

Arenel finished third last season, behind league winners Hwange and ZPC Hwange. They also managed to book a place in the final of the Wafa Wafa knockout competition which they lost on penalties to Hwange. The side won the provincial Independence Day Trophy in April after getting over Indlovu Iyanyathela.

This season, Arenel have accumulated 32 points from 12 games. ZPC Hwange dropped from second position to third place with 27 points from 12 games.

Talen Vision moved into second place after they got three points and three goals from their walkover against Mountain Climbers.

Climbers failed to make the trip to Filabusi citing lack of funds to make it to the game.
The incident comes after Zifa Southern Region warned clubs to avoid such scenarios.

Zifa Southern Region board member finance Tizirai Luphahla is of the view that continuous postponements of games will have a bearing on the league at a later stage.

“Our league has encountered a predicament lately, which I want to bring to your attention. Several teams have been requesting postponements, an unprecedented situation we’re facing,” said Luphahla in a memo to the clubs.

“We started our league later than expected, and the postponement of games will further delay our progress. This delay will inevitably affect the promotion matrix at the end of the season, which is a crucial aspect of our league.

“There are several reasons why football matches may be postponed.

“These include unfavourable weather conditions, stadium maintenance, concerns over safety, scheduling conflicts with international or cup fixtures and crowd disturbances. Additionally, fixtures can build up when matches are postponed, leading to increased player fatigue and a greater risk of injuries,” Luphahla added.

He says the present disorder makes it difficult to attract sponsors.

“We must establish a well-planned schedule for our fixtures to garner respect for our league. The disorganisation within our league is impeding our ability to secure valuable sponsorships. We must address this issue promptly and implement a more efficient system to ensure the success and growth of our league.” — @innocentskizoe