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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
ARMY side Black Rhinos are keen to stage their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches at Chinhoyi Stadium with the ZIFA First Instance Board scheduled for a second-round of inspection at the Mashonaland West venue later this week.
Chauya Chipembere, together with sister club Cranborne Bullets, were forced to look for alternative venues after the FIB condemned Vengere in Rusape which both teams used last season.
They had previously played their home games at Sakubva in Mutare.
And after the flagging of Vengere due to several flaws, the duo was expected to switch back to Mutare but Black Rhinos seem to be keen on taking Premiership football to Mashonaland West.
They actually invited the FIB to do some inspections a couple of weeks ago with the grounds experts recommending some upgrading of the facility which the army side, in conjunction with the Chinhoyi Municipality, have been doing all along.
Black Rhinos have been hosting friendly matches at the same venue with Dynamos and Simba Bhora having already been entertained at this ground.
Club secretary-general, Edward Mutukwa, told The Herald his team is keen to stage matches at Chinhoyi Stadium.
“As you may already be aware, the stadium we have been using all along, Vengere in Rusape, has been condemned by the grounds committee. There are improvements taking place at the venue right now and we cannot rule out the possibility of returning there as we have built a huge fanbase there. “But, for now, we are exploring the possibility of staging our home games at Chinhoyi Stadium,” Mutukwa said.
“Look, we are very much willing to take football to the people and Chinhoyi is also one area that is starved of Premiership action.
“As Black Rhinos, we are willing to take Premiership action to this town and we are happy with the progress that we have made so far as a team in trying to help out in the sprucing up of the stadium.
“We invited the FIB the last time out and they pointed at key areas which need urgent attention and that is exactly what has been happening over the (past) couple of weeks.
“We are expecting the same committee to re-inspect the stadium in the next few days and we hope this time around the venue could pass the inspection.
“We have hosted Simba Bhora and Dynamos in our pre-season practice matches and both teams have also commended the good state of the pitch.” The stadium needs attention on the drainage system, perimeter fence and changing rooms, among other things. Black Rhinos had been pushing to use the same stadium over the past two years but the deal didn’t materialise with the army team also showing interests in using Trojan Stadium in Bindura before they decided to settle for Sakubva then Vengere.
The Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa-coached team are based in Harare and naturally, they would have settled for the National Sports Stadium — the only ground homologated for use in Harare.
But they have always decided against overcrowding the giant facility which will be under even more pressure this coming season with under-renovation Rufaro Stadium still unavailable for use.
Dynamos, CAPS United, Yadah and Herentals are expected to be joined by Simba Bhora in using the National Sports Stadium this coming season with the Shamva-based side’s Wadzanai Stadium still under redevelopment.
Black Rhinos open their season with a military derby against Cranborne Bullets next week. It’s a battle that has always produced fireworks and this time around, two of the players who did duty for Bullets — Kelvin Chiripawako and Douglas Mbewe — will be fighting in Rhinos’ corner so will be striker Vincent Mhandu who has joined Cranborne Bullets from Chauya Chipembere.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter