AS teams step up preparations for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) which kicks off next month, Hwange and Chicken Inn are set to clash in a pre-season four-team tournament at the Colliery Stadium tomorrow and Sunday.
SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER
The two teams will be joined by Zifa Southern Region Division One League teams Technosphere and Mpumalanga.
Chicken Inn will square off against Mpumalanga while Hwange will meet Technosphere tomorrow.
The GameCocks promoted Amos Ncube, Thulani Nxusani, Musa Phiri, Tambudzai Ngulube and Brighton Manhire.
Wandile Ndlovu joins Elvis Chipezeze and Pride Zendera as Chicken Inn’s goalkeepers.
They retained Mkhokheli Dube, Thabani Goredema, Moses Jackson, Thomas Chimenya, Danny Phiri, Devine Lunga, Canaan Nkomo and Clemence Matawu.
If selected to play, Tafadzwa Kutinyu could try to impress Chicken Inn coaches after his move from Bantu Rovers this week.
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Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas said all was set for the Hwange trip.
“Our preparations for the season are going according to plan and boys are putting in 100% effort and they are working very hard,” he said.
“We are still working on our combinations. They are coming up slowly. The pre-season friendlies are helping us as they boost player confidence ahead of the start of the league.”
Antipas said the new players working hard trying to fit into the team.
“The players are getting used to our system of play and I reckon that when the season starts the players will be in good shape,” he said.
Hwange lost Oscar Lungu and Richard Jongwe and promoted three juniors.
They have former soccer star of the year finalist Nkosana Siwela, Farai Vimisayi, Talent Chamboko, Craven Banda, Tafara Chese, veteran goalkeeper Timothy Sibanda, Rodwell Chinyengetere and striker Gilbert Zulu.
Gift Mbweti an attacking midfielder, Innocent Mucheneka a holding midfielder and goalkeeper Future Sibanda were promoted from the junior ranks while London Zulu has returned to Hwange from Shabanie Mine.
Evans Rusike, Newman Sianchali, Aleck Marime and Pritchard Mphelele are some of the Hwange players.
Securing the friendly matches could be a huge relief for Hwange coach Nation Dube who recently said they were struggling to get pre-season friendlies as most teams were saying they had tight programmes.