Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
BLACK Rhinos coach, Weddington Chinyan’anya, has attributed the meticulous way with which Chauya Chipembere are conducting their business after they climbed to second on the table at the conclusion of Match Day 15 in the Northern Region Soccer League.
The military side have been rising steadily after posting impressive results over the past three weeks and on Sunday picked yet another key win, defeating Banket United 1-0 at the Heart B Arena.
The result, coupled by Agama’s 0-1 defeat to Cranborne Bullets at Commando Barracks, catapulted the seasoned campaigners to second on the table with 31 points to their name, five behind leaders N’ombeyawora who squeezed a 1-0 victory at home to Shamva Mine.
The intriguing NRSL race is already the talk of the football fraternity with Rhinos, N’ombeyawora, Agama, Golden Eagles, Harare City, Chinhoyi Rangers, Black Mambas and Banket United all looking sharp to gun for the ultimate prize.
Trojan Stars, Zambezi G &C and PAM are also looking good and they could as well be the championship’s dark horses.
And Chinyan’anya, who knows just how competitive the NRSL race has been said:
“I think we have done really well. I am very proud of what the boys have done so far in 15 weeks.
“We started the marathon slowly and at one point we were unrecognisable on the table. But we have done a really good job over the recent weeks, picking huge results and if there is something that we have done very well then it should be consistency.
“We have managed to keep the momentum and I hope we will continue in that trajectory. Quite definitely, this is a competitive league where you cannot afford to drop points.
“Once you lower your guard, you can find yourself sliding down the table. That’s how hard it is in this league.”
Chinyan’anya has been assigned to guide the former Premier Soccer League champions back into the top-flight after years of agony on their part.
“We are not putting ourselves under too much pressure. We need to just take it fixture by fixture. The key to success is picking momentum and then maintaining it,” he said.
“Like I have always said, the NRSL is next-level when it comes to competition. There are so many plots and subplots. If you drop points in just two games, the next thing you are closer to the bottom half. So we need to work really hard.
“I think we have managed to do so in the last couple of weeks. We have been meticulous and detailed at training and in the game as well.
“It’s never easy to pick wins in this league and we know we can drop points against any opponent. So we have to just keep on working hard.”
Bongani Ndlovu