Online Reporter
Tongai Mashonga, [email protected]
IT was billed as Gwanda’s biggest match, dramatically codenamed El Jahunda, a collision too big for anything other than raw emotion as Gwanda Pirates locked horns with Super Strikers at Pelandaba last weekend. Long before the first whistle, the air carried the weight of anticipation, the kind that only a true derby can summon in a town that lives and breathes football.
As expected, the contest unfolded with all the bite, tension and stubborn pride typical of rivalry football. It was bruising, uncompromising and relentlessly competitive, yet offered no goals, a familiar outcome when pride becomes heavier than risk. The two sides slugged it out to a goalless draw, neither willing to blink, neither prepared to lose ground, as a massive crowd transformed the venue into a living canvas of colour, chant and passion.
Pirates and Strikers met against a backdrop loaded with unresolved emotion. The latter’s split from the former in 2024 remains a sore chapter in Gwanda’s football story, one that divided neighbourhoods, friendships and loyalties. That history poured into the terraces, where songs clashed as fiercely as boots on grass. Despite the hype, El Jahunda ended with no breakthrough on the scoresheet, but the spectacle lived vividly in the stands, where supporters packed every corner, draped in club colours, ensuring the derby mattered even without goals.
From Pelandaba, the derby drumbeat rolled east to Zvishavane, where another rivalry flickered back to life on Tuesday. At Mandava, FC Platinum Under 19s renewed acquaintances with Shabanie Mine FC, neighbours who know each other too well for pleasantries. This time, the miners brought steel and intent, stunning their hosts with a commanding 2 0 victory that spoke loudly of ambition.
Shabanie Mine struck early in the first half, setting the tone and refusing to loosen their grip. At the back they were resolute, disciplined and patient, giving their midfield the freedom to probe and create. The goals, finished by Tavonga Shoko and Lionel Chisunga, did more than secure three points — they sent a message that this season will not be taken lightly.
Meanwhile, in Kwekwe, football lovers were treated to an early season classic at Mbizo, as Grain Tigers FC squared up against newcomers Good Morning FC in a fixture that crackled with promise. Good Morning arrived buoyed by a home victory, while Tigers carried the scars of a narrow defeat to West Nicholson FC in Gwanda on matchday one.
Grain Tigers responded with authority, edging the contest 2 0 through goals from Mthabisi Nelson Sibanda and Donell Katsande, restoring belief and balance to their campaign. Their coach, Kudzai Mhandire, fresh from a stint with Matabeleland South side Talen Vision last year, admitted he expected victory, but revealed the uphill task his side faced even before kick off.
“It’s not easy walking out to play with certain players after being told seven of your players should be out. We had to re-adjust and field a new team, I think my boys showed mental strength to overcoming such obstacles. I was expecting to win this game with my first set of players but after the obstacle I thought a point would be okay. We motivated the players and went in there and gave it all but we fluffed many chances. I give credit to the team for creating many chances and forcing the opposition to make errors leading us to a win,” he said.
On the other side, Good Morning coach Julius Chakupewa pointed to complacency creeping into his squad following their opening day victory, a reminder that in football, momentum can flatter just as quickly as it deserts.
Across Gwanda, Zvishavane and Kwekwe, the message was unmistakable: rivalries are alive, passion is spilling into the stands, and the early weeks of the season have already begun shaping stories that stretch far beyond the final scores.
