Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MUTARE-BASED Castle Lager Premiership outfit, Manica Diamonds FC chairman, Masimba Chihowa, believes they have done all they can to save the club from the jaws of relegation, and the not-so-shiny Gem Boys will still be part of the league next season.
Manica Diamonds are facing Ngezi Platinum at Sakubva Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) at 3pm in a must-win encounter before travelling to Bulawayo for a date against Highlanders, and wrap up the season with a clash against Bikita Minerals at home.
Sadly, for Manica Diamonds, they are no longer part of the country’s top-flight league championship discussions and, instead, they are fighting for dear life going into the last three rounds of league matches of the 2025 season.
For a team that gave so much promise to its fans, ending the 2023 season in second position before finishing the 2024 season in fourth position, their freefall and current fight against relegation in the 2025 season is something that was beyond the supporters’ wildest imaginations.
Be that as it may, the Manica Diamonds chairman, Chihowa, is confident that at the end of the season, his team will remain part of the country’s top-flight league.
“It is sad that we are finding ourselves in this mess. This is something that we had not anticipated since the start of the season. In fact, we wanted to remain part of the Premiership championship matrix, but somehow we are now fighting relegation.
“It is what it is, and we just have to fight until the final day. However, as a club, we have done everything within our means to ensure that we stand the heat in the fiery relegation dogfight. I am very confident that we will be safe, come the end of the season,” he said.
Chihowa reckons that the task ahead will not be a stroll in the park.
“It will not be easy – no one wants to be relegated, hence every team will be out for maximum points. What makes the situation much more complex is that never before have we had so many teams facing the probability of getting relegated.
“The fixtures are also very tricky, given that we will be playing a fellow relegation candidate on the last day of the season. That makes it even more challenging. However, that is the nature of the game. Pressure is part of football. We just have to be at our all-time best to keep our heads above water,” said Chihowa.
