PSL race: Buffaloes charging quietly, but fiercely

 

Ray Bande
Senior Reporter

ARGUABLY Mutare’s best supported team, with bonafide fan-base that has stood with the club throughout years of a love-hate relationship with the top-flight league, Buffaloes are cautiously making yet another attempt to regain Premiership promotion.

The Mutare Zimbabwe National Army side has been in the Premier Soccer League before, and has been home to some stars that made household names in the domestic Premiership. Eddie ‘Chimombe’ Dube, Eddie ‘Tastic Rice’ Nyika, Ndega Matsika, Nyarai ‘Nyangwe’ Masunde, Simba ‘Mabhara’ Wisdom, and Dananai Chinowawa among others, are names that quickly come to mind. But that was back then and this is now!

Buffaloes have virtually a new team, with almost half of the players new to the Watungwa Watungwa camp.

Under the tutelage of new coach, Kennedy ‘Bokande’ Kachara, Buffaloes are currently third on the table, trailing log leaders, FC Hunters by five points, and second placed nemesis, Tenax FC by just two points after six rounds of the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Division One League matches.

The army side has been impressive so far, with only one loss, one draw, and four wins.

Kachara cautioned that it is too early to discuss the league title, but acknowledged that Premiership promotion is their ultimate goal, shared by most teams in the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Division One league of 2025.

“We are quietly going about our business, knowing exactly what we want to achieve in this league. Like most teams, we are aiming for Premiership promotion.

“However, I must say it is way too early to talk about the Premiership promotion matrix. A lot will happen, and we know that from experience. Things will shape up, and after five or more rounds, we will see who is truly gunning for glory,” said Kachara.

In other Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League action, FC Hunters continued their impressive streak, thrashing Manica Diamonds Under 19 7-1 in a Week Six match at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera.

The match showcased FC Hunters’ clinical finishing, with seven different players scoring.

Munashe Chale, Maxwell Murimi, and Shepherd Sithole got FC Hunters off to a flying start, scoring in the first half.

Goals continued to flow in the second half, with Edward Maffa, Kudzai Taipi, Nigel Tsimba, and Godfrey Dabgwa adding to the tally.

 

Manica Diamonds U-19 finally got their first goal of the season after six games, courtesy of Hillary Chanetsa’s spectacular strike in the 50th minute.

Results:

Mutare City Rovers 0-1 Buffaloes; Destiny Stars 0-1 Masvingo United; Tongogara United FC 2-1 Deportivo La Murambinda; FC Hunters 7-1 Manica Diamonds Under-19; Renco Mine 0-1 FC Wangu Mazodze; St Paul’s Musami 0-2 Rusitu Tigers; Chivhu FC 0-1 Tenax FC; Great Zimbabwe University/JM Busha (Postponed).