The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
AS the nation warms up to the return of football action tomorrow (Saturday) at four venues across the country after a year-long Covid-19 lay off, Manicaland’s first ever top-flight league derby will finally come to pass in our time.
In Round Two of the Chibuku Super Cup cluster competition, Manica Diamonds and Tenax FC lock horns at Sakubva Stadium in the first ever Mutare Premiership derby.
The eastern border province has never known a clash pitting local based clubs in a Premiership competition at least since the inception of the current Premier Soccer League set up in 1992.
While Mutare has had Tanganda, Buffaloes, Eastern Lions, Highway and some teams that adopted Sakubva Stadium as their home including Motor Action and Monomotapa, the city has never had two teams based in the province competing in the Premiership during the same season.
Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) chief executive Mark Mabhudhu, whose company bankrolls the Gem Boys, expressed joy at the return of football action while reaffirming his company’s support to the project.
“We are equally excited with the return of football action because we fully understand its importance to livelihoods, business and as a form of entertainment.
“It is against this background that we as ZCDC are fully behind the Manica Diamonds project.
“We hope that our players and technical team will be good ambassadors of our brand. Remember Manica Diamonds FC is not just representative of ZCDC, but the entire diamond mining industry in the country.
“This is the burden on your shoulders as you play for Manica Diamonds FC,” said the ZCDC who met with the club executive before interfacing with players and their coaches during last week’s club tour of the mining site.
Addressing attendees during the player unveiling ceremony at a local hotel, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) Officer Commanding Manicaland, Spetosomusa Chinobva, whose organisation owns Tenax FC, said: “We are proud to have a club playing in the men’s top-flight league and we value the mileage we get as a unit from the success of the club. However, we need to quickly remind each other of the need to come together and support the team morally, financially as well as requisite resources.
“We urge local corporate partners to come on board and ensure that Tenax FC remains in the Premiership for a long time to come. It is a community team for the people of Mutare hence the need to have more corporate citizens coming in to play their part. As Tenax FC, we also give marketing mileage to all partners who come on board.”
The Premier Soccer League starts with four fixtures tomorrow (Saturday) and another five on Sunday.
Bulawayo City and Chicken Inn’s match at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday at 11am is set to be the first match of this restart.
Whawha face FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium at 1pm, while Tenax FC clash with Black Rhinos at Sakubva Stadium at 3pm on the same day.
Manica Diamonds will play new comers Cranborne Bullets on Sunday at Sakubva Stadium at 3pm.
Round Two of the cluster competition will be played at the same venue on a day to be announced, but highly likely to be next weekend.
Zimpapers’ television station, ZTN, who recently signed a broadcasting partnership with PSL, will cover the double header at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
First will be Harare City against ZPC Kariba match at 11am and then Herentals’ clash with giants Dynamos at 3pm.
The biggest game in Bulawayo on the same day will pit Bulawayo Chiefs against Highlanders at 1pm.
At Mandava, Ngezi Platinum face Triangle in a potentially exciting match at 11am.
Fixtures:
Saturday:
Bulawayo City v Chicken Inn (Barbourfields: 11am); Whawha v FC Platinum (Mandava: 1pm); CAPS United v Yadah (National Sports Stadium: 3pm) Tenax v Black Rhinos (Sakubva: 3pm):
Sunday:
Ngezi Platinum v Triangle (Mandava: 11am) Harare City v ZPC Kariba (National Sports Stadium: 11am): Bulawayo Chiefs v Highlanders (Barbourfields: 1pm); Herentals v Dynamos (National Sports Stadium: 3pm); Manica Diamonds v Cranborne Bullets (Sakubva: 3pm).
