The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
IT’S a battle of wits. It’s about hope and proving a point. Here, experience goes up against young ambition. The ugly and the beautiful battle for supremacy. What is at stake is a ticket to the Premier Soccer League, and it’s a dog eat dog affair as the 2016 Northern Region Division One race reaches the half-way mark.
Nesbert “Yabo” Saruchera, Arthur “Bla Tuts” Tutani, Bigboy Mawiwi, and Raphael Phiri – all veterans of such battles – are in the mix. But it is a not-so-established coach – albeit a Zimbabwean football great – going by the name Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa who is calling the shots as his Black Rhinos side top the log.
The 18-team race has been intriguing, to say the least. At one point, pre-season favorites and financially sound Herentals led the race, but they were overtaken by Saruchera’s Cranborne Bullets before Black Rhinos seized control.
Chauya Chipembere, whose most recent dance in the top flight was in 2014, were on 25 points, six clear of second placed Gunners, going into this weekend’s fixtures. So close is the Championship battle that only three points separated the ninth placed team, Flame Lily, and Gunners going into Matchday 12.
Analysts say the battle for this year’s promotion ticket will ultimately come down to a tussle between Army outfits Black Rhinos and Cranborne Bullets.
Saruchera enjoyed some of his best times at Rhinos but the former Young Warriors skipper appeared to taunt the club that gave him fame when he suggested he would not enjoy securing a ticket to the big time with a bunch of “50-year-olds”.
Rhinos have one of the oldest squads in the league. “I believe in identifying young talent and developing it. To me, that’s coaching football. I don’t want to win the league with 50-year-olds. “At this club we are giving the youngsters a chance and they are playing some nice football…we are dangerous on a good pitch, but obviously you need one or two experienced players,” said Saruchera.
Dynamos juniors’ product Macmillan Chigora, Slyvester Munhira and Harry Matembedze are some of the young triggers for Bullets. Clive Kawinga and Muchineripi Muneri bring the experience to Saruchera’s side.
At Rhinos, Mtizwa – who leads a technical team comprising Black Rhinos greats Maronga “The Bomber” Nyangela, Jack Mutandagayi and Gift Makoni – is banking on experience.
“We are attracting a lot of attention by sitting at the top, there is a lot of pressure but we are working hard to maintain that position. The experience we have in our squad has been massive, guys like Brighton (Chandisaita) have been guiding some of the youngsters and imparting football knowledge,” said Mtizwa.
Chandisaita is 38 but still plays like a 28-something, while the experience of the likes of Wilson “Duri” Chakanyuka and Shadreck Jimu are adding stability to Mutizwa’s charges.
Highly-rated Herentals believe they are still in with a chance despite going into Matchday 12 eight points behind the log leaders. Their coach, Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva, was bullish at the team’s training session at the National Sports Stadium’s B Arena last Thursday. “I am not worried at all about the current log standings, we remain focused and the ultimate goal remains the title,” Mutiwekuziva.
Herentals added a bit of steel at the beginning of the season with the acquisition of defensive midfielder Charles Rukwanhi from Triangle and Gift Saunyama from former Premiership side Whawha.
With Mawiwi in the dugout, DSTV Rangers were expected to mount a serious Championship challenge but empty coffers are suffocating the team.“If you look at it we are playing very good football but results are not coming because financially we are not sound,” said Mawiwi. “Only last week we lost four of our former Premier League players in Nathan Ziwini, Artwell Nyamiwa, Thomas Magorimbo and Patrick Makuwaza because they could not work for free.
“As for the title, I tip one of the Army teams to win it because they are stable. However, it will be dangerous to rule out Golden Valley and Flame Lily.”
It’s not looking good, though, for Mashonaland Central side Shamva, Kariba’s Lake Harvest and Army side Commando Bullets who constitute the league’s bottom three.
