Fruitful football year for Manicaland

Moffat Mungazi
Sports Reporter

IF every calendar year was as good as 2021 was for Manicaland from a football perspective, then followers of the game in the province cannot wait for 2022.

While scoring firsts, some of the sons whose genesis is deeply rooted in the Eastern part of Zimbabwe dazzled as they lend credence to the long held persuasion — if not conviction — that Manicaland is one of the country’s cradles of football and boasts copious amounts of prodigious football talent.

And, indeed, as if on cue, some of those involved in the game who identify with the land of the mountains as their origin hogged the limelight.

We take you through some of the major football highlights that firmly cast the spotlight on Manicaland Province in 2021.

Read on . . .

Chibuku Super Cup final’s Manica flavour

Familiar foes!

Perhaps this aptly describes the 2021 Chibuku Super Cup final pitting FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars staged at Mandava Stadium early this month.

 

While the scene was Midlands Province, Manicaland was amply represented.

Besides the common factor that the sponsors of the two sides are both platinum miners, the two clubs’ coaches — Norman Mapeza and Rodwell Dhlakama — share similar identity.

Both come from Manicaland.

Mapeza hails from Honde Valley, while Dhlakama is a native of Chipinge.

The common denominator between them does not end there, however, as the pair shared the dugout during Monomotapa’s title-winning charge in 2008 when the former was the head coach and the latter the technical manager.

But those filial ties were cast aside for the duration of the match — as a good two hours of action over 120 minutes of regulation and extra time — failed to separate them and produce a victor as both gaffers engaged in a battle of tactical wits to outsmart each other.

Easily two of the sharpest football minds on the domestic football front, the game drew out the brilliance of both Mapeza and Dhlakama.

This was the second successive season Dhlakama and his lads had made it to final after falling short in the previous final following a narrow defeat to Highlanders at Babourfields in the previous final.

The other protagonists in that match who hail from the diamond-mining city of Mutare were attackers Nyasha Chuntuli, Anelka Chivandire and Tendai Matindife as well as goalkeeper, Chang Mariyoni who turn out for Ngezi Platinum Stars.

As the two last teams standing, Pure Platinum Play and Madamburo had progressed from the same Group Four that played its matches at Mandava Stadium, the home of the former.

Remarkably, they had a virtually identical run of four wins, one draw and a single loss in the six matches they played.

 

Also interesting to note is that the defeats they suffered came at the hands of each other.

Both were also held by Triangle, the team that is buttering Sakubva-bred star Lincoln Mangayira’s bread.

Interestingly, Mapeza’s men scored 17 and conceded five goals, while Dhlakama’s men also netted 17 and were breached six times.

This year’s Chibuku Super Cup decider was a repeat of the 2016 final in which Madamburo triumphed, ably led by their captain — Mutare-born ex-Young Warriors skipper, Liberty Chakoroma, who was duly adjudged the best player of the tournament.

Chakoroma also scooped the competition’s top scorer accolade with four strikes after netting twice in the final.

Football returns at Sakubva

What sweet news to many a soccer fanatic’s ears!

After the facility had previously been condemned and deemed unfit to host local top-flight games, Sakubva Stadium finally got the nod from Zimbabwe Football Association’s First Instance Body as a certified match venue again.

 

Consequently, the Chibuku Super Cup’s Group Three cluster comprising Manica Diamonds, Tenax, Black Rhinos and Cranborne Bullets was domiciled at Sakubva.

When the current Premiership campaign got underway, the Gem Boys and ChauyaChikara were using the popular arena as their home ground, leaving the province’s football faithful in for a treat as there is likely going to be a match every weekend at the venue.

Mutare Derby explodes

At long last, Mutare finally played home to a Premiership local derby as cross town rivals Manica Diamonds and Tenax battled for supremacy at the top-tier level for the first time in history following the latter’s promotion.

 

Their clash in the curtain-raising cup competition served as a dress rehearsal to their league clash which is now on the cards.

The debuting prisons wardens bagged the bragging rights after getting the better of the diamond miners as they picked a win and a draw.

The stage is now set for their league duel, which many will certainly relish.

Mapeza, Bhasera and Arubi rekindle Warriors romance
In a fairy-tale return into national team involvement, the trio of tactician Mapeza, defender, Onismor Bhasera and goalkeeper, Washington Arubi bounced back into the Warriors fold.

Mapeza replaced expatriate coach Zdravko Logarusic at the helm, while Bhasera had a run as the squad secure qualification to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finals and Arubi enjoyed a cameo in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier away to the Black Stars of Ghana.

The former duo will be on the plane to Cameroon for the biennial tournament that will run from January 9 to February 6 in Cameroon.

Katsande still going strong

At 35, midfield old horse, Willard Katsande is proving that age is nothing, but just a number as he stands out as the oldest player to have scored in the South African Supa Disk so far this season after he was on target against AmaZulu on October 27 to help his side Sekhukhune United win 2-0.

The former Highway anchorman remains competitive and an integral part to propel the ambitious club to the top while challenging for honours.

Promising start for Gem Boys, Gusha Bhora

Manica Diamonds have enjoyed an impressive start to the season after winning their opening three games against Highlanders, Bulawayo City and Whawha to catapult them to the apex of the log standings.

Following the Christmas break, they end 2021 perched on the top of the table.

They started this term the way they finished the previous one, splendid form that was only bettered by eventual champions FC Platinum and runners-up chicken Inn to earn them a top five finish as they concluded the campaign on a high note.

It looks like they are picking up from where they left off in 2019.

 

Sitting at the summit is one thing and staying there is another, yes, but Manica Diamonds are laying a strong foundation for a good outing.

The Gem Boys have so far sparkled.

Former Premiership outfit Mutare City Rovers are also making a bold statement of their intention to return among the big boys of the domestic game following a perfect start to the campaign which has seen them garner maximum points and take early control of proceedings in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One after two rounds of matches going into the festive break.

 

Said the club’s seasoned team manager Lyndon Kanyemba after getting the better of Zaka Academy 3-2 at Sakubva and pegging back FC Busha 2-0 in their own Murehwa backyard: “So far so good for us. We have gathered some momentum and are geared to keep it going all the way to clinching promotion back into the Premiership.

 

“However, we are taking it one game at a time and are not putting ourselves under any pressure for our experience as perennial campaigners can spur us.”

It might be early days yet, but the going has been good for Gusha Bhora and their loyal following.

Sharp marksmen

Former Buffaloes forward, Lloyd Katongomara made history by becoming the first Manica Diamonds player to net a hat-trick in the Premiership after he fired three past debutants and correctional services side Whawha.

Sakubva-bred hitman, Chintuli was actually the first in this campaign to take the match-day ball home following his exploits against Bulawayo City in which they won 5-0.

 

He followed it up with another strike as they defeated Herentals 3-0 after being held to a goalless draw by Highlanders.

The ex-La Sakubva starlet now has four goals in three outings and is eyeing the golden boot gong.

Can it get even better for Manicaland and will the good times continue rolling for the province’s game in 2022 and beyond?

If the gods of prosperity smile on football teams from Manicaland and its sons involved elsewhere, then it will certainly be one happy year for followers of the game in the province.