adminBrighton Zhawi
Herentals……………………………………0
Harare City………………………………….0
AS the fight for Premiership football survival intensifies, Harare City coach Lloyd Chitembwe reckons tight fixtures are ‘senseless’, while his Herentals counterpart Kumbirai Mutiwekuziwa fears the students might draw their way out of the top-flight.
Herentals were held to their 16th stalemate of the season at the National Sports Stadium yesterday, a result that halted City’s three-match winning streak after victories over Chicken Inn, Hwange and Mushowani Stars.
On a day fellow relegation candidates Bulawayo Chiefs stunned defending champions at Mandava, the relegation equation has set up an exciting home run with five fixtures left. Harare City remain on position 12 with 35 points, five above the relegation zone which is occupied by Mushowani (30 points), who are away to play Hwange (28 points) today.
Herentals are a point above relegation, with their 31 points putting them on position 14. Mutiwekuziwa knows they are in peril.
“Draws are a cause of concern for me. Since the beginning of the league, we haven’t been up to the scratch. We struggled a bit during the first half of the season, before later realizing that we are sinking,” he said.
“But performance wise, you can see that there is a change from what we did during the first half of the season. We now have more focus, a lot of fighting spirit is being displayed. There is a lot courage.”
For Chitembwe, relegation isn’t a worry, it’s the fixtures schedules he is questioning.
His team travels to ZPC Kariba this Wednesday after playing Chicken Inn in another midweek fixture last Wednesday.
Chitembwe is concerned.
“It’s very important for people to understand that these are human beings, not machines. At some point, their bodies will tire. And when that happens, you risk injuries.
“I am concerned about the manner in which the program is set. We are also playing against ZPC Kariba on Wednesday, how is that for professional football? When you have to play, say four games in a space of ten days, it’s senseless. lt shows a lack of understanding of how the human body functions, it’s very unfortunate.
“But at the end of the day, the job has to be done,” said Chitembwe.
Harare City started yesterday’s encounter with intent, using the pace of their swift wingers Ishmael Wadi and Martin Vengesayi.
Wadi failed to head home from a free header off a corner in the 33rd minute, while Richard Hachiro should have put Herentals ahead at the stroke of half-time. His shot from outside the box narrowly missed.
The move was initiated by the impressive Juan Mutudza, whose pace on the left flank troubled Takudzwa Chimwemwe.
City began the second half with a lot of energy, with Kuda Musharu’s header narrowly missing the target after a Chimwemwe cross for the homeside.
Innocent Benza had a rare chance of his own but headed weakly.
The two sides could not be separated in the end.
Online Reporter