adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
PRE-SEASON Southern Region Football League favourites Bulawayo City and Bantu Rovers open their campaigns with relatively easy encounters taking on Indlovu Iyanyathela and ZPC Hwange respectively.
The Southern Region League, formerly known as the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League, kicks off on March 21.
Bantu Rovers’ coach Johannes Ngodzo believes that the first five games of the season will shape their direction and is confident with the squad he has despite losing Raphael Kutinyu to Chicken Inn and the trio of Obidiah Tarumbwa, Nqobizitha Masuku and Teenage Hadebe to Highlanders.
“As much as we’re wary of our opening encounter against ZPC Hwange I believe that we’ve assembled a squad that will challenge for the honours. It’s good that we now know when the season kicks off which makes it easy to plan,” said Ngodzo.
“About the players that we loaned to other clubs, I think this has created a platform for some of our boys to shine. This is their chance to prove their worth and I’m sure the boys that we have will do us a good job.”
The experienced trio of Tatenda Magaisa, Moses Majika and Bukhosi Sibanda will lead Bantu Rovers’ charge for an early Premiership return.
In their second week Bantu Rovers will face a stern test against perennial campaigners Black Boots followed by a home game against newly promoted Magwegwe Pirates and then make their first out of Bulawayo trip to Hwange for a date with Hwange Juniors.
Bantu Rovers’ challengers for the title, Bulawayo City coached by Philani “Beefy” Ncube have been busy with their pre-season training, assembling a quality side.
The council-bankrolled club have even attracted interest from ex-Highlanders captain Innocent Mapuranga, Xolisani “Scara” Moyo formerly with How Mine, Brighton Dube, former Quelaton, New West and Harare City’s Zibusiso Sibanda as well as seasoned strikers Qinani Sibanda and Mkhululi Moyo.
Bulawayo City open their campaign with a home game against Indlovu Iyanyathela. Their toughest assignment in the first five games will be on Week Four when they travel to Hwange for a date against ZPC Hwange and Week Five’s home tie with Black Boots.
“The announcement of the dates and fixtures means that the games have started. We’re just preparing in a manner that will ensure that we are able to have a squad that will withstand Division One pressure. I think it’ll be a competitive year,” said Ncube.
Former champions Bulawayo Chiefs, besides keeping a low profile in the transfer market, earned themselves a place in the spotlight when they shocked Premiership side Whawha 3-0 in a friendly match played at Ascot Stadium three weeks ago.
Their best buy could be speedy winger Ishmael Wadi who they brought from the Northern Region.
Notable faces to drive Bulawayo Chiefs include Proud Zireni, Tedious Mugumanya, Kundishora Chakanyuka and Joseph Museve.
“The club is building a squad around the seasoned players which is being blended with youngsters. Basically, the mandate that I’ve been assigned is to assemble a team that will compete for the championship in 2016,” said Thulani “Thuts” Sibanda, Bulawayo Chiefs’ coach.
Agent “Ajila” Sawu’s Ntabazinduna, Black Boots and ZPC Hwange have been perennial campaigners and are expected to put a strong title challenge.
Hwange’s Technosphere, last season’s runners-up are also looking forward to a bright season.
“Everything is coming up and we’ve managed to retain most of our players from last season. We’re in the process of securing Nhlanhla Ndlovu who was at Trumus last season and failed to make the grade at Highlanders. I think the fact that we managed to take the championship to the wire has made us manage to keep our side intact as we hope to give it another go,” Try Ncube of Technosphere said.
Trumus FC of Victoria Falls are building a new side under Ndoga Nyoni.
“We’re rebuilding having lost most of our players to neighbours Amagagasi. We’ll come stronger as we want to make sure that we become a force to reckon with in this league. We won’t be pushovers and we still dream of becoming the first Premiership club in Victoria Falls,” Nyoni said.
Fixtures
Week 1: Bulawayo City v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Luveve), Bulawayo Chiefs v Magwegwe Pirates (Raylton), Bantu Rovers v ZPC Hwange (Hartsfield), Amagagasi v Trumus (Victoria Falls), Ntabazinduna v Quelaton (Ntabazinduna), New West v Hwange Juniors (White City), Mpumalanga United v Black Boots (Hwange), Technosphere v Makomo (Hwange)
Week 2: Trumus v Technosphere (Hwange), Indlovu Iyanyathela v Ntabazinduna (HQ One Brigade), Quelaton v New West (Nust), Magwegwe Pirates v Mpumalanga United (White City), Black Boots v Bantu Rovers (Fairbridge), Hwange Juniors v Bulawayo Chiefs (Hwange), Makomo v Bulawayo City (Hwange), ZPC Hwange v Amagagasi (Hwange)
Week 3: Bantu Rovers v Magwegwe Pirates (Hartsfield), Amagagasi v Black Boots (Victoria Falls), Technosphere v ZPC Hwange (Hwange), Bulawayo City v Trumus (Luveve), Ntabazinduna v Makomo (Ntabazinduna), New West v Indlovu Iyanyathela (White City), Bulawayo Chiefs v Quelaton (Raylton), Mpumalanga United v Hwange Juniors (Hwange)
Week 4: Magwegwe Pirates v Amagagasi (White City), Black Boots v Technosphere (Fairbridge), ZPC Hwange v Bulawayo City (Hwange), Makomo v New West (Hwange), Indlovu Iyanyathela v Bulawayo Chiefs (HQ One Brigade), Quelaton v Mpumalanga United (Nust), Hwange Juniors v Bantu Rovers (Hwange), Trumus v Ntabazinduna (Victoria Falls)
Week 5: New West v Trumus (White City), Mpumalanga United v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Hwange), Bantu Rovers v Quelaton (Hartsfield), Amagagasi v Hwange Juniors (Victoria Falls), Technosphere v Magwegwe Pirates (Hwange), Bulawayo City v Black Boots (Luveve), Ntabazinduna v ZPC Hwange (Ntabazinduna), Bulawayo Chiefs v Makomo (Raylton).
Online Reporter