adminSikhumbuzo Moyo
THE Zifa Southern Region Division One League matches resume this weekend with a full programme tomorrow after paving way for the Macheche Meats final won 1-0 by log leaders Bulawayo Chiefs after they beat Hwange’s Mpumalanga.
The region’s secretary-general, Sydney Madzvimbo said with elections having come and gone, there would be no other reason to postpone the games.
“It’s back to business this weekend and all our teams are in action,” he said.The games have been fixtured for tomorrow due to the national team’s second leg Chan qualifier against Mauritius at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
Championship contenders Bulawayo Chiefs and Blackboots are all 335 km away in Hwange where Rahman Gumbo’s Bulawayo Chiefs take on Solomon Kaseke’s ZPC (Hwange) at Chakona Stadium while Blackboots will clash with Technosphere at Nengasha Stadium at Empumalanga Township.
Technosphere have been playing well in their last few games and the Support Unit outfit is advised to be on the alert, lest they come back from Hwange having been displaced on second spot by Tsholotsho.
ZPC (Hwange), despite being a formidable force the whole of last season and early this year, are slowly fading away in the race after some boardroom bungling by the team management that saw the players going for months without salaries and winning bonuses.
Bulawayo Chiefs and Blackboots are separated by six points but closely following on third position is modest Tsholotsho, under Lizwe Sweswe, who are just a point behind the uniformed services team. The Zhuwane Boys are home to former Premier Soccer League side Quelaton who shocked Bulawayo Chiefs 2-0 at their own home ground, Dingumuzi Stadium in Plumtree.
Macheche Meats finalists Mpumalanga will clash with bottom placed strugglers Rufaro Rovers in a derby where pride will be at stake at Old Ground.
Tshintsha Guluva, as Bantu Rovers are known, play host to Victoria Falls based Mkosana at Luveve Stadium hoping to give their new coach Thulani Sibanda a perfect start.
Sibanda is slowly becoming a Division One schemer and while mathematically, chances of Bantu Rovers making a return to the top league next year are still possible, Sibanda’s rules of engagement could be making sure the club returns in 2015.
Mark Mathe’s Zimbabwe Saints have a seemingly easy assignment when they play host to Siphambaniso Dube’s Ajax Hotspurs. Like Technosphere and Tsholotsho, Chauya Chikwata have been playing well since Mathe took over.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: ZPC (Hwange) v Bulawayo Chiefs (Hwange), Bantu Rovers v Mkosana (Luveve), New West City v Ntabazinduna(Portuguese), Mpumalanga v Rufaro Rovers (Nengasha), Technosphere v Black boots (Nengasha), Zimbabwe Saints v Ajax Hotspurs (Luveve), Tsholotsho v Quelaton (Tsholotsho), Hwange Under-20 v Bulawayo Jumbos
Online Reporter