Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOR several months, local football fans have waited patiently for the return of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League action amid a flurry of off-season player and coach movements.
But the spotlight will be on Kwekwe tomorrow as the newly constructed Chahwanda Stadium in the mining town hosts its first top-flight league match in a historic feat for Premiership debutants Hardrock.
Over US$10 million was invested to erect this estimated 15 000-seater beauty in the last few months, which makes the newboys one of the few teams to own a stadium in Zimbabwe.
Interestingly, the Midlands outfit, lavishly backed by gold mining company Gold Metals Investment owned by businessman Shepherd Chahwanda, come face-to-face with equally opulent Harare side Scottland, who are run by local gold magnate Pedzai “Scott’’ Sakupwanya.
Kwekwe should expect an unusual atmosphere for this historic tie, which is threatening to eclipse giants Dynamos’ visit to TelOne this afternoon as well as the low-key Bulawayo derby featuring Highlanders and Premiership returnees Bulawayo Chiefs tomorrow.
Scottland and Hardrock set the tone for this match with free-spending pre-season campaigns that included investment in quality players and tours outside the country.
Both teams also have new coaches with Zambian Kelvin Kaindu now at the helm of the newboys Hardrock while the PSL defending champions Scottland have roped in three-time championship winning coach Norman Mapeza.
Kaindu has unveiled not less than 15 new players and he understands the significance of this ground-breaking match.
“This is our debut game for us in the Premier League. We are playing at home against Scotland. They are the defending champions who just came from recording a big victory against Dynamos. That shows how prepared they are and the pedigree that they have.
“But we are playing at home. We want the fans to come and enjoy the game. It is important for us,” said Kaindu.
“Yeah, football is played on the field. And as much as we want everybody to come and enjoy, we want fans to leave this stadium happy that they have enjoyed what they paid for. We want it to be an entertainment place.
“We want it to be a fortress. We want also, to make sure that even as the fans are coming, they are happy with what they are going to see.
“Both teams are good in terms of the sponsorship that they have, the quality of players and we just hope that the game will live to its standards. The expectation is quite high. And we hope that we are going to fill up the stadium, especially in our first game. And we believe that at the end of the day, everybody must be happy,” said Kaindu.
On paper, the squad carries serious pedigree. Reigning Soccer Star of the Year Washington Navaya headlines a group that includes Junior Makunike, Donald Mudadi, Nigel Matinha, Misheck Ngwenya, Edward Musena, Tinashe Mashaireni, Marshall Gavaza, Samuel Makawa, Wilfred Madzungu, Elton Sibanda, Oncemore Uriri, Prince Gwetu, Shelton Sibanda, veteran Masimba Mambare and the Eswatini duo of Neliswa Dlamini, Sambulo Simelane
They also have two experienced goalkeepers Tonderai Mateyaunga and Martin Mapisa but the latter could miss the match because of an injury. Kaindu feels his team is well prepared after a comprehensive pre-season programme that took them to Botswana.
“First of all, we want to thank management, our sponsors also for giving us that opportunity to do our pre-season outside the country. I think we had a number of games.
“Mainly what we did in our pre-season was for team bonding, looking at the new players that we have assembled this season.
“And we played a few friendlies, which I think we managed to pick up victories, I think, in five games and lost one.
“Our team showed a lot of depth in terms of going forward and the number of goals that we scored. We just hope that even when the season starts, I think we should be able to see a team that is offensive.
“Of course, the expectation from everybody is very, very high,” said Kaindu.
But he has to find a formula to get past Mapeza, who has always presented a stumbling block almost every time they met in the past.
While at FC Platinum, Mapeza gave Kaindu all sorts of problems as Highlanders coach and then at Triangle.
But Hardrock are a completely new project, which even Mapeza has not had opportunity to see in competitive action, hence the caution he demonstrated in yesterday’s pre-match press conference.
“It’s always difficult playing such a team,” Mapeza said.
“We heard stories about what they were doing during the off-season. The new signings.
“They recruited some quality players if you look at those guys who came from Simba Bhora, guys who left MWOS to go and join them.
“They are quality players. So, it’s not going to be easy, but at the end of the day, it’s much about us. We are not going to read much about what was happening during the off-season.”
Scottland have a star-studded squad that boasts of current and former Zimbabwe internationals like Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat, Walter Musona, Terrence Dzvukamanja, Peter Muduhwa and Tymon Machope.
They were also active on the market bringing in top talents like Abubakar Moffat, Emmanuel Ziocha, Kenyan Joshua Onyango, Ghanaian defender Issaka Mahomad, Namibian striker Isaskar Gurirab and Eswatini defender Kwakhe Thwala. They demonstrated their capabilities with a 5-0 demolition of giants Dynamos last Sunday and the performance boosted confidence in the change room.
“Morale-wise, I think it was a very good morale booster. But now the league is starting. It’s a totally different ballgame. It’s a totally different ballgame,” Mapeza said.
“There’s much to do. Like I always say, it’s about those four key moments of the game. If you can manage those four key moments of the game well, I think you won’t have my challenges.”
