Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Chiefs Football Club coach Lizwe Sweswe says he will ensure his team give it their all when they play against Chicken Inn in a local derby despite injuries to his key players.
Former national team defensive midfielder Danny “Deco” Phiri and skipper Malvin Mkolo started light training yesterday having picked up knocks in Amakhosi Amahle’s 2-1 away defeat to defending champions FC Platinum.
Chiefs play host to Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium on Sunday, in the only Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter slated for the weekend in the city.
The match is likely to draw a huge crowd as football enthusiasts who had hoped to watch the epic Highlanders and Dynamos encounter at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday were left disappointed after the postponement to the tie to allow them to prepare for the Independence Cup clash in Mount Darwin next Tuesday.
Being the only high profile game in the city, a derby for that matter, Bulawayo Chiefs, who are on the hunt for their first win of the season having collected two points from four outings, are hoping that the duo pass late fitness tests.
Injuries have already ruled out two other experienced players William Stima and Ben Nyahunzwi for the Chicken Inn tie.
Giving an update on injured players, Sweswe said: “It’s a tricky situation that we find ourselves in as you don’t want to lose players to injuries this early into the season but it’s a game of football and we’ve to do what we can.
We pray that between now and Sunday something good happens to them (Phiri and Mkolo). It is our hope that they pass the late fitness tests.”
He said in the event of them failing to recover, he will have no option but to find replacements.
“I trust that whoever will be given the responsibility to play will do a good job,” said Sweswe.
He said Ben is returning next week while Stima has started light training.
“Maybe in a week or so Stima will also be available for selection,” said SweSwe.
The former Tsholotsho and Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship winning gaffer with FC Platinum, however, says he is happy with his team’s preparations for the clash with the Gamecocks.
Chiefs have had a tricky start of the season and are presently third from the bottom of the table with two points from their 1-1 draw against Ngezi Platinum Stars and the 0-0 draw with Black Rhinos.
The 2022 Chibuku Super Cup champions have suffered two defeats to FC Platinum and ZPC Kariba (1-0).
Squandering scoring opportunities, with their forwards Farau Matare, Obriel Chirinda and Nixon Gama being culprits, has been the biggest undoing for the Twitter Kings.
Against Chicken Inn, who are on position seven, four points behind leaders Caps United, Bulawayo Chiefs will bank on defenders Kim Joe, Felix Moyo and Brian Rusinga who had a man-of-the-match performance against FC Platinum.
Midfielders Mandla Gasela and Mthokozisi Msebe will be expected to supply the forwards with scoring opportunities.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Match Day 5
Fixtures
Today: Cranborne Bullets v Yadah (National Sports Stadium, 12PM), Simba Bhora v Hwange (National Sports Stadium, 3PM).
Tomorrow: Sheasham v Green Fuel (Mandava), Herentals v ZPC Kariba (National Sports Stadium), Manica Diamonds v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Gibbo).
Sunday: Caps United v FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium), Triangle United v Black Rhinos (Gibbo), Bulawayo Chiefs v Chicken Inn (Luveve). – @ZililoR.
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