adminThe clash is the only top flight action set for the long weekend in Bulawayo and most city soccer loving fans are likely to rally behind Quelaton.
Bulawayo giants Highlanders will not be active as their opponents FC Platinum are in Sudan for a Caf Champions League match while Chicken Inn travel to Harare for a clash with Caps United on Saturday.
Tomorrow’s Luveve fixture will be Quelaton’s first home competitive game and they will be hoping to collect maximum points after narrowly losing 4-3 in Hwange last weekend.
It is against this background of Quelaton’s performance in Hwange that Shabanie Mine coach Luke Masomere is worried. He believes that any team that manages to score three goals at the Colliery Stadium deserves respect.
Masomere said newly promoted teams tend to raise their game when they take on big clubs and was expecting a tough encounter at Luveve Stadium.
The two clubs will be meeting for the second time this year with Shabanie Mine having beaten Quelaton 2-0 in a pre-season friendly match at Maglas Stadium last month.
“It will be a bit difficult playing Quelaton because I think they are more motivated considering that they narrowly lost in Hwange. I know the Hwange environment is very hostile and for them scoring three goals shows that they cannot be underrated. I remember even during my days as Dynamos coach, we never scored that many. Even Al Amal Atbara of Sudan failed to score that number of goals in Hwange.
“We travel to Bulawayo with enough respect for them and we will do our best to get a positive result,” Masomere said.
The former AmaZulu, Hwange, Dynamos and Masvingo coach said he had a clean bill of health.
Goalkeeper Victor Twaliki who started the match against Caps United is likely to retain his place.
Some of the players that Quelaton should look out for include former Lancashire Steel and FC Platinum winger Raymond Sibanda, ex-Highlanders striker Francis Kanda, Caleb Masocha, Nelson Mazivisa and former Masvingo United’s Pervington Zimunya.
On the other hand Quelaton will be banking on their double scorer against Hwange Kundishora Chakanyuka and Eddie Nkulungo who converted from the penalty spot against the coalminers.
The Bulawayo club also has former AmaZulu, Lancashire Steel and Hwange defender Prince “Ndongo” Ncube, Tedious Mugumanya formerly with Douglas Warriors and goalkeeper Lovemore Makwavarara who have Premiership experience to bank on.
Ex-Highlanders and Umnungwane FC junior player Mpumelelo Moyo and Zibusiso Sibanda are some of the players capable of causing mayhem for Shabanie Mine in the Quelaton squad.
Quelaton’s coach Thulani Sibanda, probably the league’s youngest gaffer at 32 years, said they were ready for their opponents.
“Shabanie Mine has a veteran coach in Luke Masomere but we are not afraid of them. We want to utilise home advantage, impose our play at all costs.
“They beat us in a pre-season game but this is a different ball game altogether and we hope to get maximum points,” Sibanda said.
Quelaton will be without national Under-20 star Pride Zireni.
Meanwhile, former Warriors striker Adam Ndlovu has declared his side Chicken Inn ready for Caps United.
Last season the fastfoods outlets sponsored club lost all their matches against Caps United 1-0 in Harare and 2-1 in Bulawayo.
Both Chicken Inn and Caps United opened their 2012 campaigns with identical goalless draws against Gunners and Shabanie Mine.
Chicken Inn wasted numerous scoring opportunities at Luveve Stadium against Gunners and Ndlovu believes his strikers would be on target on Saturday.
“Last weekend we created a number of chances but failed to convert them. We have been busy working on that and I have confidence that the boys will score this weekend,” Ndlovu said.
Tough-as-teak defender Hebert Dick, Felix Chindungwe and Guide Goddard will fight for places in central defence with Moses Jackson, Abraham Mbaiwa and Northlea High School pupil Patrick Majuta competing for a starting place on the right side of defence.
Brian Mbiriri is expected to complete the defence line-up.
Caps United must look out for any of these Chicken Inn’s strikers Evans Chikwayikwayi, Thomas Chimenya, Daniel Zokoto and Leanance Mpofu.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Monomotapa v Harare City (Rufaro), Quelaton v Shabanie Mine (Luveve), Gunners v Motor Action (Lafarge).
Saturday: Caps United v Chicken Inn (Gwanzura).
Sunday: Hardbody v Black Mambas (Ascot).
Online Reporter