adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
BUFFALOES and Dongo Sawmills will lock horns for the first time after the latter’s promotion into the top-flight league in a friendly match at Vengere Stadium on Sunday.
The Manicaland Premiership derby appetiser will see the two teams fielding their B sides in the first match at 12pm, before the main attraction at 3pm when both teams are expected to parade the players who will make up their starting line-ups when the league commences.
Dongo Sawmills owner, Francis Dongo, confirmed that they will play their fellow Manicaland-based outfit, Buffaloes in a friendly match on Sunday. “They are our brothers and we thought it wise to prepare ourselves for the forthcoming season by taking on a team close to us. After all, it will also give us a hint on expectations of a Premiership derby,’’ Dongo said.
Buffaloes organising secretary Arnold Gatsi echoed Dongo’s sentiments, saying the match will give both teams a feel of a Premiership derby.
“We thought it is important for us to have a feel of a Premiership derby in a friendly match before the actual Premiership league derby comes.
“We are taking the friendly match seriously and we sincerely hope that it will add value to our preparations ahead of the start of the season,” Gatsi said.
Both teams have played a good number of friendly matches with Dongo Sawmills holding Dynamos and CAPS United in some of the friendly matches they played at Vengere.
In some of their preseason friendly matches, Buffaloes have played Harare City and also took part in a four-club tournament in Harare where the Mutare army side did well.
Online Reporter