Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE proverbial last kicks of a dying horse is an idiom that describes a final, desperate and ultimately futile effort by someone already nearing complete failure.
The idiom invokes a dying horse thrashing in its final moments. There is a burst of energy, but it cannot change the inevitable outcome.
So is the case for Manica Diamonds FC.
The Mutare-based Premier Soccer League outfit, which now needs something close to a miracle to survive relegation, faces TelOne FC at Sakubva Stadium tomorrow (Saturday).
Even though Manica Diamonds can mathematically survive if they win all the five remaining fixtures — TelOne (at home), Highlanders (away), Bulawayo Chiefs (home), Dynamos (away) and MWOS (home) — practically their chances are far from reality, given that it will also take all their competitors losing all remaining fixtures.
Saturday’s encounter against TelOne is a must-win for Manica Diamonds, and the subplot is the presence of coach, Herbert Maruwa, on the Manica Diamonds bench against a team he once saved from relegation.
Maruwa acknowledged the importance of the match.
“We need to fight to the end. We need to points at all costs. This is the attitude we need to fight to the end.
“Yes, we are playing against my former team for the past two years, which I think I did well for them. In 2024, they survived relegation and ended the season in Top 10. In 2025, they ended in Top Five, and even produced the soccer star of the year. So in terms of success, we did something remarkable, and now I am here at Manica Diamonds, on the same mission to save them from the dreaded relegation chop. We are still believing anything can happen in football. We hope for the better. We just need to pull in the same direction to achieve what we aspire to,” said Maruwa.
The Manica Diamonds-TelOne match comes after a lengthy break, and Maruwa said the break was welcome for refocusing.
“I think the break was good for players to recover and recharge their batteries,” he said.
Manica Diamonds: The last kicks of a dying horse
