Black Rhinos address goalkeeping crisis

Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter

BLACK Rhinos have gone green in all departments with coach Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa apparently going for pace in the upcoming Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

The army team have become a fertile hunting ground for fellow top-flight teams and they have lost over eight players so far in this transfer season.

Three of their most experienced players – Gracious Muleya, Collin Kwaramba and Blessed Mbavarira who played a starring role in their impressive campaign in the Chibuku Super Cup last season – have also reverted back to their parent team Chapungu United.

The army side have not been lucky with their goalkeeping department either.

They parted ways with Blessing Mwandimutsira who played in most of their matches last term.

And they will not be with Stanley Chakwana at least for the opening half of the upcoming season.

Chakwana is still to fully recover from the injuries he sustained in an accident in November last year.

He, together with the CAPS United duo of Ian Nyoni and Joel “Josta” Ngodzo, was injured when the car he was travelling with burst a tyre and veered off the road.

Chakwana suffered a fractured arm and he is yet to fully recuperate and he has effectively been ruled out for the opening half of the season.

Mutizwa’s team also lost Simbarashe Nkosi who died three weeks ago, just days before he was due for his official unveiling.

And the former champions have decided to recruit young goalkeepers as they aim to challenge for the honours.

They have taken aboard former Commando Bullets’ Brian Makoni, who kept eight clean sheets in 12 games for the Northern Region Division One Soccer League side last year.

They also recruited 21-year-old Panashe Chirimanyemba, who was with Tenax last season.

The two will be backed up by Lennon Gonese, who has been promoted from the team’s reserve side, and Onismo Matava.

Black Rhinos secretary general, Edward Mutukwa, said the team is leaving nothing to chance ahead of the 2023 season.

“We now have full cover for goalkeepers, Onisimo Matava, Panashe Chirimanyemba, Brian Makoni and Lennon Gonese. 

“On experience, we have Gift Saunyama, he has reunited with the team,” said Mutukwa.

“The team is balanced, with an average age of 24. The team was in Gweru for 15 days a week ago where we played Sheasham in friendlies.

“We also played Simba Bhora last weekend as we continue to gauge ourselves against top-flight teams”.

The team entertain Dynamos at Chinhoyi Stadium in a friendly match this weekend.