Sundaymail Editor
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A FIFA transfer ban is haunting Yadah, who were forced to field a team with just two substitutes in their opening 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League away to Manica Diamonds at Sakubva Stadium yesterday.
To add insult to injury, they finished the match with 10 men following a red card to their key defender and conceded the only goal of the match five minutes into added time.
Yadah were last year sanctioned by FIFA over a US$82 000 salary dispute with three Brazilian players, who failed to make the grade at the club.
FIFA banned Yadah from registering new players for three transfer windows pending resolution of the issue and this has resulted in the current situation, which was worsened by the departure of key players from last season, who sought greener pastures.
Zimpapers Sports Hub understands that Yadah are making efforts to resolve the issue this month to allow the registration of a number of players who have already been identified and are ready to play, once cleared.
Yesterday, Manica Diamonds’ technical team’s decision to play top man Fortune Binzi in his rightful central striking position paid off as the Sakubva-born striker’s flicker five minutes into added time was all they needed to bag maximum points against a spirited 10-man Yadah.
Binzi, a promising striker who spent the greater part of last season coming as a winger in the few encounters in which he was lucky to get game time last season, was thrust into the deep end and indeed he justified the move.
Coach Jairos Tapera was a relieved man in the fifth minute of the seven minutes of added time when the forward connected a cross from Anelka Chivandire to give Manica Diamonds the lead and the only goal of the encounter.
From the onset of the match, the home team dominated the exchanges but failed to breach the resolute Yadah defence.
Not even the 43rd minute red card on Anotidaishe Gwatidzo after a clumsy challenge on Liberty Masvaure could translate into tangible advantage for Manica Diamonds, at least in regulation time.
Notwithstanding that Yadah had only two players on the bench in Evans Rusike and Ryna Ncube, several attempts at goal by the Tapera-coached outfit were repelled.
At the end, Yadah coach Ikabort Masocha conceded that it was a well-deserved triumph for the Gem Boys.
“I think they deserved to win. They piled so much pressure on us from the first whistle, but we managed to withhold pressure. However, they were lucky to score towards the end and they deserved the win,” said Masocha.
Tapera, who delegated his assistant Tafadzwa Mashiri to handle post-match interviews, was visibly relieved after Harare referee Ronald Chinyanyi blew the final whistle.
Mashiri said: “This is a good start to the season, and we are happy with that. This is our first time to win our first match of the season since we came here, so there is every reason to be happy about it. Yes, it is clear that we are not yet there.
“We need more time to gel and form a formidable unit, but we are happy that we still managed to get the result that we desperately wanted. We look forward into the future with confidence.”
At Rufaro Stadium, Herentals became the first team to score more than one goal on the opening weekend of the 2025 campaign after beating TelOne 2-1 yesterday.
Newcomers Scottland edged Triangle 1-0 in the opening match of the season at the same venue on Friday, while there were two 1-1 draws and another two goalless draws in yesterday’s action.
Champions Simba Bhora, fielding a new-look outfit, settled for a goalless draw with bogey side FC Platinum at Wadzanai Stadium, ending a run of successive defeats against Norman Mapeza’s Zvishavane heavyweights.
Matchday 1 concludes today with the remaining two games at Rufaro and Baobab, where Dynamos host ZPC Kariba and newcomers MWOS welcome Highlanders, respectively. Herentals broke the deadlock two minutes after the half-hour with a goal from Prince Chama, who was making his first appearance in more than one-and-a-half years.
Chama came to the end of an Erick Dombo cross, which he controlled well to slot home, giving The Students the lead after 32 minutes.
Tables turned after the break as TelOne started dominating proceedings in the second-half, piling pressure on Herentals.
Former Highlanders forward Washington Navaya, who came in as a second-half substitute, levelled terms for the Gweru-based side, tapping in a cross from Gerald Bhero.
Herentals secured three points five minutes from the end when Kundai Sangare took advantage of the referee’s decision to wave “play on”, while TelOne expected action to be halted, and scored the winner for the hosts
The decision did not go down well with the visitors, who staged a five-minute protest.
Herentals coach Paul Benza was elated with the result.
“It was a good result for us. Sangare came in and gave us a good result and going forward, we hope to continue with the momentum,” said Benza.
TelOne coach Herbert Maruwa felt his charges lost concentration to let in a late winner for the hosts.
“We had the game under control and a loss of concentration let us down. But we go back to the drawing board. Congratulations to Herentals,” he said.
At Wadzanai Stadium, Simba Bhora had only themselves to blame for failing to floor FC Platinum, despite creating numerous chances.
The game was a tale of two halves, with missed chances galore.
As expected, Mapeza packed his midfield with Shepherd Mhlanga, Brian Banda, Devine Mhindira and Hagiazo Magaya to gain control. The champions’ coach, Joel Luphahla, felt his team still needed time to get into the required groove.
“It was not an easy game to play against FC Platinum in our opening match of the season, and they have a good coach with a lot of experience,” he said.
“The first game of the season is always tricky, but I think we are heading in the right direction. The boys are showing a lot of positives, and I believe we will be a different side after three games.”
Mapeza felt his team had a better first half and rued their lack of luck in missing good chances.
“It was a good game, in the first half we played some quality football and created chances. I think if we were clinical, we could have scored before the restart,” he said.
“In the second half, Simba Bhora had their moments, but they never troubled us except for that mistake from Bizabani. I’m more than happy with the point because it was our first game of the season, and we didn’t play many friendly matches due to our geographical location.”
At Bata Stadium, veteran Masimba Mambare summoned all his experience to inspire Kwekwe United to an impressive one-all draw against Ngezi Platinum Stars.
The veteran winger scored a goal in the second half to cancel out Ashwin Karengesha’s first-half strike for Madamburo and earn a valuable point for Kwekwe United on their Castle Lager Premier League debut.
Ngezi Platinum will rue the missed chances in the first half, where they should have wrapped up the match.
Kwekwe United coach Saul Chaminuka was happy with how his side made an impression on their first match in the top-flight.
“I think it was a good result, but it is a game we should have taken. In the first half, we were jittery, but after we talked to the boys we started playing well,” he said.
“After the equaliser, we could have scored two or three, but I am happy with a point. It is important that you don’t lose your first match of the season, especially if you are a new team.
“It gives us something to work on going into our next matches. I am happy with my boys, they did well today. It was a great performance.”
Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi decried the missed chances in the first half.
“Generally, in the first half we were in control and we were supposed to carry the day with the chances that we had. It is the first game of the season and the boys are not up to their best. There is a lot to do to make sure the boys get into the groove,” he said.
“After missing chances, the second half was a different affair. The coming in of Mambare was the difference. He is a clever player with his passes in between the lines and creativity. We struggled to cope.”
Online Reporter