Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORTY months after playing host to a topflight football match, the Colliery Stadium opens its gates to welcome back the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League action on Sunday when Hwange FC takes on Bulawayo Chiefs.
The wait has been long for Premiership returnees to play in front of their home fans, with their last Premiership match at the coalmining town’s ceremonial home of football played on December 12, 2019 when Hwange beat ZPC Kariba 1-0.
The coalminers were then relegated from the Premiership and only returned this season after winning the 2022 Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League title.
Upon their return to the elite league, Hwange’s home ground was condemned alongside Sheasham’s Ascot Stadium in Gweru, Simba Bhora’s Shamva and Vengere Stadium of Rusape who used to host Cranbourne Bullets and Black Rhinos after failing to meet requirements to house topflight games.
The other stadiums that were condemned are Sakubva in Mutare which is home to Manica Diamonds, ZPC Kariba’s Nyamhunga and newboys’ Green Fuel home in Chisumbanje which is under construction.
On Tuesday, Zifa announced that the Colliery Stadium and Sheasham’s Bata Stadium in Gweru have been granted permission to host Premiership games.
While Bata Stadium will play host to Sheasham and Highlanders match, Hwange will be home to Bulawayo Chiefs, hoping for a positive start in front of their home fans.
Hwange have so far played four of their 2023 season home matches in Bulawayo, losing 1-0 to Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium on the first day of the season. The three other home matches were played at Luveve, where the coalminers beat Greenfuel 3-0, drew 1-1 against Sheasham and won their last encounter 1-0 against Cranborne Bullets.
To their credit, despite travelling week in, week out, eighth-placed Hwange have done remarkably well garnering 10 points in seven games, just four points behind leaders Highlanders.
As they return to the Colliery stadium on Sunday to face Bulawayo Chiefs who are bubbling with confidence following two consecutive wins against Dynamos and Yadah, Hwange coach Nation Dube said they’ve missed home fans.
“We’ve tried to see what we can do with this travelling thing. What we’ve been doing is focusing on giving them (players) the regeneration that they needed. For now, I can’t say much or cry about travelling or fatigue.
“We haven’t had home advantage because we’ve been playing away every week. Yeah, it will be good playing at the Colliery Stadium because we need that support from our hometown fans,” said Dube.
Hwange will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways when they host Bulawayo Chiefs who are unbeaten in three games.
Hwange open their Colliery Stadium account smarting from a 1-0 defeat to Highlanders.
A point separated eighth-placed Hwange on 10 points and Bulawayo Chiefs who are on position 11 at tied on nine points with former champions Chicken Inn, making the coalminers and The Ninjas clash potentially explosive.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League
Matchday 8 fixtures
Friday, May 5: Simba Bhora v Cranborne Bullets (National Sports Stadium)
Saturday, May 6: Greenfuel v ZPC Kariba (Gibbo), FC Platinum v Manica Diamonds (Mandava), Chicken Inn v Herentals (Luveve), Yadah v Caps United (National Sports Stadium)
Sunday, May 8: Dynamos v Triangle United (National Sports Stadium), Sheasham v Highlanders (Bata Stadium), Hwange v Bulawayo Chiefs (Colliery)
Wednesday, May 10: Black rhinos v Ngezi Platinum Stars (National Sports Stadium)
— @ZililoR
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter