Vusumuzi Dube
Eddie Chikamhi, Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIMBA Bhora coach, Joel Luphahla, believes the Shamva side will soon find their mojo and turn around their season following a slow start in defence of their title.
Luphahla watched in dejection as his team lost 1-0 to giants Dynamos, who fielded a side that had been mediocre up until Sunday’s encounter at Rufaro, having not won a league game prior to the match.
It was disappointing for the champions as they dropped to 12th place with only five points from a possible 12. They have won only once, drawn three times and lost once.
However, the club is not pressing the panic button just yet. At this stage last year, Simba Bhora were sitting fourth on the log standings with seven points from two wins, a draw and a defeat. They went on to comfortably win their maiden championship after the full marathon.
Continuity was always going to be difficult after losing coach Tonderai Ndiraya during the pre-season and almost an entire championship-winning side.
Luphahla, who is also new to the setup after joining from Dynamos in January, said he had anticipated the slow start despite embarking on a vibrant pre-season that took them to South Africa.
“Overall, I think the boys are trying. They’re doing their best, and the management is also doing its best in supporting the club and the boys. It’s just a matter of time before we click,” said Luphahla.
“We had said that by game six, we would perhaps be at our best because some of the boys joined us after we had returned from South Africa for the pre-season. So, we are still trying to fuse them in with the rest of the team.”
Simba Bhora, one of the most prolific teams in the previous campaign, have not been productive in front of goal, with only one goal to show in four starts.
Namibian, Isakar Gurirab, is the only player to have found the back of the net. This concerning statistic is beginning to weigh on Luphahla ahead of their next fixture against the unpredictableTelOne.
“We didn’t create chances (against Dynamos), maybe just half-chances. But at the end of the day, we’ve played four games, and it’s worrying. It’s concerning that we’ve only scored one goal.
“It’s sad, especially for our travelling fans, all the way from Shamva. They came and they never stopped supporting the team and for them to go back with nothing in hand, it’s really sad for us. It makes us feel down.
“But we’re up next against TelOne, who are also bubbling with confidence after beating CAPS United. So, it’s not going to be an easy game.
“We are under pressure. We’re playing at home, and we start under pressure because we lost the game (against Dynamos). But at the end of the day, football has to be played.
“The competition is very difficult this season; there are no small teams. If TelOne can beat CAPS United, it shows that people are prepared. Teams have prepared well and we feel we have prepared well too.
“It’s just a matter of time before things start clicking, but I’m very confident in my team, very confident in what we want to do, and confident in what we can achieve,” said Luphahla.
Simba Bhora began their season with draws against FC Platinum and ZPC Kariba. They then edged Herentals 1-0 before Luphahla succumbed to his former club, Dynamos, where he had been Lloyd Chigowe’s preferred assistant between August 2024 and January this year.
“It was always going to be a difficult game, coming here to face Dynamos. I felt the boys tried their best, but Dynamos were more motivated, perhaps because I came from here last season. The motivation was always there because they didn’t want to lose to their former coach.
“But also, credit to them – I think they did very well, maybe more than us. I’m very confident in the team we have, and we’re still trying to find ways to finish off matches,” said Luphahla.
Online Reporter