Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo
FOCUS in weekend’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League games was on teams playing at their new homes after going through renovations, Sheasham FC hosting Highlanders at Bata Stadium and the Hwange-Bulawayo Chiefs encounter at the Colliery Stadium.
A carnival atmosphere gripped the town of Gweru as Highlanders fans from Bulawayo and Harare invaded the Midland Province capital to watch their team in action at Bata Stadium.
Sheasham fans also came in their numbers to rally behind their team which was playing their first match in their hometown since renovating Bata Stadium which was last used about 30 years ago when Bata Power FC went defunct.
The encounter ended 0-0 but it is the facility that has taken the spotlight.
A number of fans left Bata Stadium feeling that while it is good to spread football and celebrate infrastructure development, the facility which is still going through renovations does not have the capacity to host big matches.
The pitch is bumpy, there are sections of the terraces which are not complete and the crowd watched the match sitting on makeshift dusty terrances.
Work still needs to be done behind the perfect view of the VIP terraces.
“I think the authorities rushed to clear this stadium because surely watching a Premiership game sitting on a heap of soil isn’t right at all. I think Bata Stadium is still work in progress and at its present state, it can only host teams that don’t have a big following,” said Getrude Sibanda, who travelled from Filabusi for the encounter.
Farai Chivorise was happy that topflight action is back in Gweru.
“Yes, some might complain that some areas need to b attended to at the Bata Stadium but as a football fan from Gweru, I want to thank Sheasham Construction for doing such a remarkable job and now we are watching Premier Soccer League games in the city,” Chivorise said.
The result in Gweru meant that Highlanders remained at the top of the table tied on 15 points with Caps United who edged Yadah 1-0, courtesy of an own goal by Brian Kadamanja.
Sheasham moved a place up the table to position 12 with nine points from eight outings. The Gweru side is just two point above relegation and a point against Highlanders was a big one for a side that is determined to turn Bata Stadium into a fortress.
At the Colliery Stadium, Hwange didn’t have a perfect start as they lost 3-0 to Bulawayo Chiefs who registered their third consecutive win. Bulawayo Chiefs join Ngezi Platinum Stars in being the only two team to have won three matches in a row this season.
Hwange had been hoping to give their fans a perfect show in their Premiership return to the Colliery Stadium but found Lizwe Sweswe side in top form.
Bulawayo Chiefs’ victory courtesy of goals by Ayanda Ncube, Nkosilathi Ncube and Nixon Gama powered them to position six with 12 points. Bulawayo Chiefs are tied on 12 points with Dynamos who are on position four, Manica Diamonds (five), seventh on the table is Chicken Inn and FC Platinum is on position eight.
DeMbare dropped points at home after being held to a 0-0 draw by Thulani Sibanda’s Triangle United who have amassed 11 points and are on position nine.
Manica Diamonds’ striker Fortune Binzi continued with his fine form, scoring his sixth goal of the season as they held champions FC Platinum to a 2-2 draw. FC Platinum surrendered a two-goal lead that came from goals by Innocent Mucheneka and Lawrence Mhlanga before Manica Diamonds struck back through Binzi and Gerald Bhero.
Cranborne Bullets piled pressure on Tonderai Ndiraya as his Simba Bhora lost 1-0 to give the army side their first victory of the season. Nyasha Munira scored the solitary goal that earned Cranborne Bullets maximum points.
Meanwhile, Ngezi Platinum Stars might go to the top of the table if they beat Black Rhinos in tomorrow’s encounter at the National Sports Stadium. Ngezi Platinum Stars are third on the table with 13 points, while Black rhinos who fired coach Stanford Mutizwa anchor the table.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League
Matchday 8 results
Friday: Simba Bhora 0-1 Cranborne Bullets
Saturday: Greenfuel 0-0 ZPC Kariba, FC Platinum 2-2 Manica Diamonds, Chicken Inn 2-1 Herentals, Yadah 0-1 Caps United
Sunday: Dynamos 0-0 Triangle United, Sheasham 0-0 Highlanders, Hwange 0-3 Bulawayo Chiefs
— @ZililoR
Online Reporter