Sundaymail Editor
Langton Nyakwenda in CHISUMBANJE
Green Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 5
Surrey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
ANOTHER amazing piece of local football history was written here as Lloyd Mutasa’s Green Fuel became the first team from Chisumbanje to gain promotion into the Premier Soccer League.
Green Fuel clinched the Eastern Region Division One championship in style, with former Golden Eagles striker Claude “Pokello”Mapako hitting a memorable hat-trick in front of a decent crowd at the Green Fuel Sports Arena.
Veteran forward Ishmael Lawe and substitute Maxwell Makomeke were also on target for the hosts, who featured a number of ex-Premier Soccer League players such as Cleopas Kapupurika, Livingstone Genti, Leroy Murape, Tendai “DJ Malaika” Nyamadzawo and skipper Obey Mwerahari.
The contest was as good as over after only five minutes as the hosts raced into a 2-0 lead courtesy of Mapako and Lawe.
Crowd favourite, Mapako, rifled home his second and Green Fuel’s third after 55 minutes in this one-sided encounter.
Surrey offered little resistance against a well-drilled Green Fuel team, whose quality and composure won them many admirers.
Mapako then completed his hat-trick in the 65th minute, coolly slotting the ball past Blessing Madzimure after he was set up by the hard-running Murape.
Murape had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half when he headed home a fine cross from the right by Kapupurika.
Yesterday’s win took Green Fuel’s tally to an unassailable 66 points with four games to spare. Mutare City are a distant second with 54 points.
“I am very happy to be returning to the Premier League after a long time. I am happy for the youngsters; they really did put a good shift,” said Mutasa.
It’s now a hat-trick of Eastern Region Division One championships for Mutasa, who has previously led Eastern Lions and Kiglon to the Promised Land.
Mutasa also won the Castle Cup as a player with the now-defunct Manicaland side Tanganda in 1993.
Joseph “Shabba” Takaringofa, who was his teammate back then, is now his assistant at Green Fuel.
Former Black Aces, Dynamos and CAPS United midfielder Albert “Dhalala” Mabika is also a member of the technical department.
“It feels great. I really tasted my PSL football playing here in Manicaland for Tanganda and now I have helped another team from this region.
“I did it before with Kiglon and Eastern Lions, and it is now Green Fuel … I can only but say glory be to God,” said a teary Mutasa.
Ecstatic fans invaded the pitch soon after the final whistle, with most of them honouring Mutasa as a hero.
“We can now prepare to watch Premier Soccer League right here and it’s all because of the effort put by coach Lloyd Mutasa.
“We can’t wait to see the likes of Dynamos and CAPS United playing in this stadium that we call Gomba,” said James Charamba, a staunch supporter.
Online Reporter