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Sports Reporter
HARARE City netball team coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki says they have to pull their socks as they face ZDF Queens and GreenFuel in the Nedbank Premier Netball League games today in Chisumbanje.
Harare City, ZDF Queens and Ngezi Platinum Queens join hosts GreenFuel for cluster five games in the third bubble for the second round.
The rest of the teams had their games last week.
Mutsauki conceded they are up against tough opponents but said they will give a good account of themselves.
“At the moment our team has a lot to work on because three quarters of our players have day to day jobs so they do not have much time to train.
“But so far so good, we are going to fight, and we are going there looking for a win.
“They are both tough games but we are going to fight,” said Mutsauki.
They will be pinning their hopes on some of their experienced players such as captain Blessing Kahari, who plays wing attack, and defender Takadanaishe Zimusi, who was part of the Gems’ team at the Netball World Cup.
Mutsauki said while they were gearing for today’s games, they need to map the way forward so that they have more time of training with the players.
“What is important in sport, is training. If you have not properly trained it will cost the team. So we need to work on getting our players released on time and for that to happen there is need for communication between us and their employers so that we agree on how many times we can get them per week,” said Mutsauki.
In other matches, Ngezi Platinum take on GreenFuel in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Both teams have so far lost just one game each.
Interestingly, the only game Ngezi Platinum have lost was against GreenFuel in the first round of the season.
Ngezi Platinum coach Tapiwa Chirenda is confident they are up for the task as they also take on ZDF Queens.
“As usual we approach every game with optimism, understanding that as much as we are playing perennial powerhouses that have defeated Ngezi over several years.
“We are also now a force to be equally reckoned with in our own right… A difficult task but I am sure as Ngezi we are up to the task to give these powerhouses something to think about as far as next year is concerned; whatever the outcome might turn out to be,” said Chirenda.
The Mhondoro-Ngezi based side will be hoping to turn the tables in their favour when they take on GreenFuel this time around.
“We lost yes, and it was our first loss after being on song and it kind of jinxed us in a way considering the margin we lost by. We are building something and it’s a process fortunately or unfortunately, which all these big teams came through over several years to become what they are today.
“But we will bring everything we have to the battle,” said Chirenda.
Ngezi Platinum are currently placed second behind Platinum Queens who took over after winning all their matches last week while the former were inactive.
Fixtures
Today
Harare City vs ZDF Queens, Harare City vs GreenFuel, ZDF Queens vs Ngezi Platinum, GreenFuel vs Ngezi Platinum.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter