admin
Langton Nyakwenda
WHEN Rodwell Dhlakama got his job at Green Fuel on April 23 last year, his appointment was a reaction to the team’s loss against Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Just a day after GreenFuel’s 3-2 loss to the platinum miners at Gibbo, the Chisumbanje side fired Lloyd Mutasa and replaced him with Dhlakama, who coincidentally was also a former Ngezi Platinum Stars employee.
Dhlakama’s first meeting with his former paymasters ended in tears as Green Fuel succumbed to a 3-0 drubbing at Baobab.
The veteran gaffer is now set to meet Madamburo for the second time since his move to Chisumbanje.
He is almost clocking 365 days in charge of GreenFuel and he is eager to get one over his former side when the two sides clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the GreenFuel Arena tomorrow.
It’s a clash of two sides with different backgrounds.
Ngezi Platinum Stars won the 2023 Premiership title while Green Fuel was fighting relegation.
GreenFuel eventually survived the chop, as they finished 10th, and just five points above the drop zone.
It’s a predicament they would not want to experience again this term.
At this stage last season, GreenFuel had a point from four matches, following three losses against Yadah, Hwange, and Manica Diamonds plus a draw against Herentals.
This time around they have accumulated five points from a win and three draws.
And Dhlakama has been pushing his boys to up their tempo ahead of what he has described as “our biggest game so far.”
He agrees his side are the underdogs but he is confident his boys are up for the task.
“We are willing and prepared to battle it out,” Dhlakama told Zimpapers Sports.
“We do not have too much pressure, as compared to them. We are a new team and they are seasoned campaigners, so we wish to continue learning and gaining experience in the process.”
Green Fuel has no injury issues.
Their top players including Tinotenda Meke and Washington Mapuwa are fit for the match.
Mapuwa scored a brilliant free-kick when Green Fuel beat Bulawayo Chiefs 2-1 in their opening match at the Green Fuel Arena, while Meke has been a pain for most defenders on the left flank.
The 19-year-old Meke joined Green Fuel from Cranborne Bullets.
“A lot has happened from last year up to now. So much water has gone under the bridge,” says Dhlakama.
“We have new expectations, new experiences, new demands, and new hopes. So, we will see what Ngezi Platinum Stars will offer this time around.”
Both GreenFuel and Ngezi Platinum Stars are tied on five points after four rounds of action.
Madamburo finally registered their first win of the season against Manica Diamonds on Easter Monday, after a stuttering start to their title defence.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda