Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT was always mission impossible!
JOEL Luphahla’s second stint at TelOne faces a certain heartbreak as the Wi-fi Boys could become the second team to be confirmed relegated in the 2026 Castle Lager Premiership, if they fail to win their next match.
The former Zimbabwe international, who is credited with masterminding the Gweru side’s maiden promotion to the top-flight league in 2019, is facing an anti-climax in his second stint with the club.
TelOne have a difficult away fixture against relegation candidates AGAMA at Wadzanayi on Saturday, and a win could buy them time and delay the inevitable.
Their situation got dire last weekend when they fell 2-3 to newboys FC Hunters at home, which left the Wi-fi Boys almost giving up on the fight. TelOne have been playing good football, but results have continued to elude them, much to the dejection of the coach.
“We are also disappointed, but we are going to continue pushing,” said Luphahla.
“We are going away to AGAMA. It’s going to be difficult as well but we want to salvage the pride. We want to do it properly for the players as well.
“But the confidence, when we play like this, you can see that the boys are not so good. It’s a difficult situation, but we are going to do our best.”
Unfortunately for the former Zimbabwe international, he could not qualify to coach TelOne following his heroics in securing the top-flight berth in 2019, since he did not possess the requisite CAF A Licence.
But he has now been in charge of five league outings since his return to the club in August.
Luphahla inherited a struggling side sitting 16th in the relegation zone with only eight games remaining in the season.
The team had plummeted to the basement of the log standings under the watch of Herbert Maruwa and then Saul Chaminuka.
However, Luphahla has found the going tough after experiencing equally challenging outings in his other previous appointments at Simba Bhora and FC Platinum.
TelOne are yet to win a match under Luphahla’s guidance, with two draws and three defeats. They sit second from the bottom on 22 points from 30 games, despite having decent talent like Frank Makarati, Donald Teguru, Bruno Mtigo, Silas Songani, Chelsea Nyakope and Marvellous Chigumira.
They are nine points from the position of safety, and their case looks hopeless as the league is only left with three games.
Triangle also face the same fate should they fail to win against Simba Bhora at Gibbo. The Lowveld side has 23 points in the bag. They have tried without success to fight their way back under Genesis Mangombe.
So far, Manica Diamonds are the only team that has been confirmed relegated.
The Gem Boys host Bulawayo Chiefs at Sakubva this Sunday.
Bulawayo Chiefs, with 31 points, AGAMA (28) and ZPC Kariba (32) are the other teams still in the relegation equation.
Chiefs coach John Nyikadzino has remained confident of maintaining their PSL status, as they sit just one rung above the drop zone with a three-point advantage over AGAMA.
“Obviously, as you are quite aware, we are above the relegation zone. What is important for us is to maintain that position or go better than that.
“As I’ve said before, we’ve never been in the bottom four, and we will not be in the bottom four. We shall continue fighting and try and improve on the team performance so that we consolidate our position in the PSL.
“It’s something that is very much achievable. Everything is in our hands,” said Nyikadzino.
Fixtures:
Saturday: Herentals v FC Platinum (Rufaro), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Dynamos (Baobab), Chicken Inn v ZPC Kariba (Luveve)
Sunday: Triangle v Simba Bhora (Gibbo), AGAMA v TelOne (Wadzanayi), Manica Diamonds v Bulawayo Chiefs (Sakubva), Hardrock v MWOS (Chahwanda), FC Hunters v Highlanders (Rufaro)
Thursday (October 29): CAPS United v Scottland (Rufaro)
