Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
REGINALD Buhali and Godfrey Paradza have taken over coaching duties at Zimbabwe Saints following the unceremonious departure of coaches Amini Soma Phiri and Philani Mabhena.
Phiri and Mabhena failed to pitch up for the team’s first-round Wafa Wafa knockout competition, which Saints lost 0-3 to Ajax Hotspurs at the end of last year.
The two told the club then that they had no transport to get to the match venue.
Their absence forced, Paradza, who was team manager, to lead the Chikwata dugout together with Buhali.
In their opening Zifa Southern Region Division One league encounter, Buhali and Paradza took charge of the team and got off to a winning start by seeing off ZPC Hwange 2-1 at White City Stadium.
Captain Cossam Fundira scored a brace for Saints, while Kasimero Chimbadzea pulled one back for the visitors.
Saints officials were reluctant to comment on changes to their technical team.
However, a source told Chronicle Sport that since they failed to pitch for the Wafa Wafa Cup match, Soma Phiri and Mabena had not been reporting for work.
“The two never came to work after that incident and no one looked for them,” the source said.
Saints were relegated from the Premier Soccer League in 2011 and have been hovering on the brink of extinction since then.
Southern Region Division One results
Binga 0-2 Bosso 90
Arenel 3- 2 Ajax
Saints 2-1 ZPC
Ratanang 1-0 Talen Vision
Hwange 3-1 Makhandeni
— @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter