Dhlakama optimistic of Hwange survival

HWANGE head coach, Rodwell Dhlakama is optimistic that his charges will avoid the dreaded chop come end of the 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

On Sunday, Chipangano will go into their home tie against Bikita Minerals when they are second from the bottom and tied on 11 points with equally struggling Arenel Movers who anchor the log standings courtesy on an inferior goal difference.

The coalminers have managed to register two wins, five draws and nine defeats from 16 outings.

They are on an uninspiring 23 percent success rate and it is their bad run that saw them part ways with Nation Dube who was replaced by Dhlakama in the dugout.

In his first game in charge at the Colliery Stadium, Dhlakama masterminded the coal miners’ 1-0 triumph over Greenfuel who are interestingly the coach’s former paymasters.

Last Sunday, Dhlakama and his boys did not get it right against Highlanders at Barbourfields Stadium as they fell by the wayside to compound their woes. “We really wanted to win against Highlanders considering where we are sitting on the log standings. It’s not pretty. We lost and we are going back to the drawing board. The team has not been doing well for quite a long time, but I’m confident that we are going to survive relegation,” said Dhlakama.

Hwange have a relatively new side and they bounced back to the elite football league last year after dominating the Zifa Southern Region Division One League under the guidance of Bongani Mafu and Try Ncube in 2022.

As the league is set to reach the halfway mark tomorrow, things are not also looking good in the Arenel Movers camp who suffered a 2-1 home defeat ahead of their match against fellow newcomers Chegutu Pirates at Mhondoro’s Baobab Stadium tomorrow.

The Sweet Boys, who have managed to register a single win, eight draws and seven defeats are also on a 23 percent success rate and their head coach, Farai Tawachera has bemoaned his players’ wanting fitness levels and lack of professionalism.

“”In terms of fitness levels we are not there, we were not there, l think we are around 60-70% fit. We need to raise our fitness levels because we are not there. During the three week break, we only trained two hours before we went to Simba Bhora (about a fortnight ago). The players are not that professional, they don’t know that this is their job, when you are on a break you work and you can see the fitness levels,” said Tawachera.

His side have complained over poor and irregular salaries over the months. Chegutu Pirates are third from the bottom with 13 points and their last weekend match against CAPS United was marred by chaos.

The newbies were once again a bad advertisement to the top flight football after their supporters caused a 27-minute stoppage in protest against Makepekepe’s opener.

Police were called in to quell the situation and the match finally resumed after 27 minutes of uncertainty. This was not the first time that Chegutu Pirates have caused commotion during play. Last weekend’s events evoked memories of their abandoned match against Dynamos at Baobab, which led to the club getting fined by PSL.

The unruly behaviour by their faithful is becoming a cause for concern and the side is set to be hit by another PSL sanction.

— @FungaiMuderere