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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE 2023 ZIFA Eastern Region Division One League race for the title is intensifying with each passing week and on Sunday, Mutare City Rovers will clash against Tenax FC at Vengere Stadium in Rusape in a potentially explosive derby that will have a huge bearing on this riveting championship contest.
The match kicks-off at 3pm.
Mutare City Rovers coach, Chasten Ngondonga said the match against Tenax FC is a must win for them.
Ngondonga said playing a derby in itself is self-motivating.
“It is a must-win encounter for us. We know what to expect, and we are preparing hard for that. We are preparing well. We believe we still have a chance to clinch the title and this match can turn things well for us.
“We have a full squad, we have no injuries or absentees. Just like what happens in the game of football elsewhere, playing a derby just motivates the players. Money issues are not the main issue at the moment,” he said.
His opposite number, Luke Petros-Jukulile told Post Sport that this is one of the matches that determine championship material.
He conceded that a local derby is self-motivating to players.
“This is a local derby and we all know the ingredients of a derby. Players want to do their best so that they get the bragging rights in the hood. However, for me and my technical team, we are taking it just as like any other match. We respect every other opponent we are playing against.
“Like what I always say, any team among the top seven can win this title. We are supposed to win this match so that we consolidate our place in this race.
“My hope is that the better team of the day will win. These are some of the matches that determine championship material. We are up to the challenge and we will not disappoint,” said Petros-Jukulile.
In a separate interview, ZIFA Eastern Region board member in charge of marketing, Benjamin Chindima commended the participants in this year’s season for the intense competition being witnessed.
“It is clear that teams that include FC WanguMazodze, Mutare City Rovers, Tenax FC, Rusitu Tigers, Bikita Minerals andBuffaloes are all in the race. Any team can win it.
“This kind of intense competition was witnessed a long time ago in the region and it speaks to the professional approach to business that the board has been executing,” said Chindima.
True to Chindima’s word, the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One League, over the years, had been reduced to a one-horse race where the eventual winner would be easily determined or noticeable at the start of the season.
Elsewhere in the league, surprise package, Rusitu Tigers, who seem to be punching above their weight and are sitting on third position, will be in for a tricky assignment against JM Busha away at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera.
Log leaders, FC WanguMazodze take on Grayham at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo, while Manica Diamonds Under-19, who are still smarting from a humiliating 1-5 drubbing at the hands of Rusitu Tigers will be entertaining Midway at Vengere Stadium tomorrow (Saturday).
Eastern Region Soccer League Week 21 Results:
Renco Mine 1-2 FC Hunters; JM Busha 0-4 Mutare City; Midway 1-2 WanguMazodze; Tenax 0-0 Bikita Minerals; Rusitu Tigers 5-1 Manica Diamonds U19; MasvingoUtd 3-0 Chiredzi Stars; Grayham 2-2 Surrey;
Eastern Region Soccer League Week 22 Fixtures:
Saturday:
Chiredzi Stars v Renco Mine (South East School); ManicaDiamondsU19 v Midway (Vengere Stadium);
Sunday:
Surrey v Buffaloes (Surrey Stadium); WanguMazodze v Grayham (Mucheke Stadium); Bikita Minerals vs Masvingo United (Lithium Stadium); Mutare City vTenax FC (Vengere Stadium); JM BushavRusitu Tigers (Rudhaka Stadium).
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