ZIFA Southern Region Division One champions Plumtree Chiefs will tomorrow travel to Fairbridge to lock horns with police side Black Boots without coach Thulani Sibanda, who has been deployed to Harare by his employers the Zimbabwe Republic Police, to take charge of developmental football in the force.
FORTUNE MBELE
SPORTS REPORTER
Sibanda, a former Premier Soccer League (PSL) coach with Quelaton, a club that he got into top-flight in 2012, won the Division One championship with Chiefs (then Bulawayo Chiefs) last year, but the team opted to remain in the lower division, signing an agreement with Bantu Rovers which saw the latter being elevated to the PSL.
Sitting on position two with 17 points, four behind pacesetters Ntabazinduna Prison, but with two games in hand, Plumtree Chiefs will take on sixth-placed Black Boots with Nkosiyazi Ncube and former Highlanders defender Anzilom Ndlovu taking charge of the team.
Plumtree Chiefs boast of former Quelaton striker Kundishora Chakanyuka and Tedious Mugumanya, among a host of players that are gunning for the title once again this season.
Black Boots, last season’s contenders to the crown, have 14 points from eight matches.
But the team to watch this year is Ntabazinduna Prison, coached by Agent Sawu, who saved the club from relegation and is at the top on the log standings with 21 points from 10 matches.
Tomorrow, Ntabazinduna will be back home against Hwange Juniors.
Third-placed Tsholotsho FC with 16 points from eight games travel to Hwange for a date with Technosphere, who are a point behind sitting on position five at par with fourth-placed ZPC Hwange, who will entertain neighbours Mpumalanga in the coal mining town tomorrow.
Victoria-based Trumus, who have also seen the departure of former PSL side Tripple B coach Peter Manoti, will be back in action tomorrow against Elephant FC at HQ1 Brigade.
New boys Portland Cement, who handed Plumtree Chiefs three points after they failed to pitch up in Bulawayo will, host New West City tomorrow.
Quelaton and Old Nic Mine will not be playing this weekend.
Fixtures
ZPC Hwange v Mpumalanga (Hwange),
Technosphere v Tsholotsho (Hwange),
Portland Cement v New West (P/Cement),
Ntabazinduna Prison v Hwange Juniors (Ntabazinduna),
Elephant FC v Trumus (HQ1 Brigade),
Black Boots v Plumtree Chiefs (Fairbridge)