Out-of-sorts Hwange host well-oiled Bosso

The stark reality is that they are now fighting relegation as they are sixth from the bottom on the Castle Lager Premiership log. Four teams will be relegated and Hwange being one of the founding clubs of the elite league in Zimbabwe in 1980, will be sadly missed in the event of being relegated.

Free-scoring Chinyengetere and another striker Francisco Zvikumbawire whose, leg is in a plaster cast started the season in very good form. Many of the team’s good games were built on the two’s inspirational performances.

It was not far-fetched to put Hwange among the pre-season favourites for the league title. Disaster struck in July when Zvikumbawire broke his leg. What then followed was over-reliance on Chinyengetere who is at his best coming from deep in midfield with probing runs. A clash with Monomotapa’s goalkeeper saw the hardworking kingpin break twice on the sheen.

While expert opinion is that he could be out for up to eight weeks, the reality is that many players before him have barely managed to return to the game after such an injury. Such players include Melusi Sibanda (Highlanders), Taboniswa Ncube (Hwange), Andrew Kamanga (Zimbabwe Saints) and Hlanganani Ngwenya (Hwange).

Taking into account the player’s promising career for both his club and country, authorities should seriously consider taking him to South Africa where facilities have ensured many players return to the game fully recovered within a short space of time.

For a team fighting relegation, his absence will certainly spell disaster.

Hwange need Chinyengetere most at this time of the race. He was the club’s driver with six Premiership goals and several assists. The midfielder was the core of Hwange football business and there was so much promise around him that he would have made easy entry among the country’s eleven most outstanding footballers for the 2012 season.

“You could see by the way the game changed when he was no longer in there. He is an important player for us and we wouldn’t want to play without him. The results are there to see,” summed up Hwange’s Evans Rusike at the weekend.

Hwange lost the match 3-0 and have not won since Game 16.

The pressure is definitely on the miners this afternoon to deliver against a record-breaking Highlanders side that has gone 22 matches without a loss. Their record has erased Zimbabwe Saints’ 1988 record of 13 league games.

The presence of Zvikumbawire, a young striker with a big body, would have seen him nail the defence of Innocent Mapuranga and Eric Mudzingwa to the Bosso half. He has the ability to hold on to the ball until there is support while Chinyengetere has an impressive work rate.

Very few Hwange players have made as much impact on national football as Chinyengetere.

There have been greater players at the club David Khumalo, Isaac Phiri, Mwape Sakala, Sam Mutende, Twyman Ncube, the late Chris Yoyo, Posani Sibanda, Rodrick Simwanza, Amos Rendo, Daniel Rendo, George Phiri, Nyaro Mumba, Benson Soko, Kakoma Kayonga, Knight Mathe, Obert Moyo, David Zulu, Fabian Zulu and Chingumbe Masuku but very few have established themselves as regulars in the national team.

There has been a good crop of players to emerge in the last 15 years who include Walter Chuma, Chenjerayi Dube, Gerald Ndlovu, Alick Nyoni, Carrington Gomba and Gilbert Zulu but all could not exert their influence on the opposition, national coaches and sports journalists as did Chinyengetere.

His absence is a big blow and Hwange’s survival in the next two to three matches will depend on his replacement.

Chinyengetere’s troubles could however motivate his teammates to work harder.

It would hurt him to recover and find the club he served with distinction this past season in Division One.

Another disappointed man was national team coach Rahman Gumbo.

“Rodwell was now at the peak of his season and he was playing well for both the national team and his club and was really enjoying good form.

“But when such things happen there is very little you can do as a coach except to wish him a speedy recovery and look around for other options,” said Gumbo.