Online Reporter
Onward Gangata
THE Zifa Central Region Soccer League is on a mid season break, but there’s no downtime in the battle for Premiership promotion, not for frontrunners, Sheasham and Hardrock.
At the halfway point, Sheasham sit top with 45 points, six clear of second placed Hardrock on 39.
The league resumes on August 9, but the real contest has already spilled from the pitch into the boardrooms, as both sides scramble to strengthen ahead of the decisive second-half.
The Construction Boys are leaving nothing to chance in their quest to return to the top flight. Despite going unbeaten in the first round, Sheasham have added former Bulawayo City left-back Wilfred Munorwei to replace William Stima, who left the Gweru side after his contract expired at the end of June.
Sheasham chairperson Reginald Chidawanyika knows the fight is far from over.
“We still have a lot of work to do before the end of the season, there is no room for error,” he said.
Kwekwe side Hardrock, meanwhile, are not backing down.
They’ve brought in former TelOne winger Blessing Sahondo, Tinashe Mashaireni, and Simbarashe Verenga to boost their squad. And to sharpen their dugout, the Kasongo Boys have roped in veteran coach Rutherford Matondo, formerly with ZPC Munyati, TelOne, and Dulibadzimu, as assistant to Calvin Maphosa.
Maphosa is banking on Matondo’s tactical insight to tip the scale.
“His experience and football knowledge will add valuable support as we prepare for the challenges of the second round,” Maphosa said.
Still, Maphosa is under no illusions, catching Sheasham will take near flawless execution.
“The guys are really pushing and we hope for a better second-half. We want to win as many games as we can in the second round, that’s our goal,” he added.
Elsewhere, Tendai Chikuni’s Grain Tigers have also been active in the market, snapping up former Shabanie and Chapungu defender Ricky Bota. They’ve also added the experienced duo of Nesbert Gwede, formerly of Kwekwe United, and Collins Chidomaya, who was recently released by TelOne.
