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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MUTARE City Rovers’ chairman, Onsimo Nyikadzino, has put behind the nasty cold war that erupted between him and his FC Wangu Mazodze opposite number at the start of the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One League 2023 season and, if anything, he now wants football to do the talking.
Gusha Bhora, as Mutare City Rovers are fondly referred to by their fans, will lock horns with the Masvingo-based log leaders, FC Wangu Mazodze at Vengere Stadium on Sunday.
The match starts at 3pm.
Typical of the adrenaline rush that comes with football contests almost at every level of the game, there was a nasty exchange of words at the start of the 2023 season between the Mutare City Rovers and FC Wangu Mazodze leaders as both administrators traded insults in public domain.
The hullabaloo arose from allegations of poor match officiating which the Mutare City Rovers chairman felt his team was subjected to in the two clubs’ reverse fixture.
However, Nyikadzino believes this is the time to let the game speak for itself on the field of play.
He is of the opinion that his team is still in contention for the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One League title.
“I think the time for insulting each other is behind us, and we now want to focus on the game. We are confident of winning, not only the match against FC Wangu Mazodze on Sunday at Vengere Stadium, but the title race itself.
“Yes, we have had some slip ups in the first half of the season, but we are still in a good position to jump to the helm of the log standings. We just have to start with winning this match against FC Wangu Mazodze at all costs,” he said.
Mutare City Rovers were forced to play their match against FC Wangu Mazodze at Vengere Stadium in Rusape due to lack of facilities in the Manicaland provincial capital of Mutare where the main match venue — Sakubva Stadium — is undergoing long term renovations, while Showground Sports Arena is being reserved for the annual Manicaland Agricultural Show preparations.
In a separate interview, ZIFA Eastern Region board member in charge of marketing, Benjamin Chindima spoke glowingly of the high level competition that is being witnessed in their flagship league 2023 season.
“We had a three-week break in which Tenax FC went to South Africa and won gold at the SADC Correctional Games and since the harmonised elections are over our league matches are resuming over the weekend.
“Competition is still intense with all the clubs in position one to eight on the log having a chance to win the title race. The game of the week is Mutare City Rovers against FC Wangu Mazodze at Vengere Stadium on Sunday. We just wish both teams good luck and hope the better team of the day wins,” said the youthful Mutare-based football administrator.
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