The ManicaPost
ESTEEMED followers of the game of football, thank you for finding time for interaction.For making light work of fellow title aspirants, Yadah on Sunday at Sakubva in an Eastern Region Division One top-of-the-table clash, Mutare army outfit, Buffaloes blew some wind into their sail for quick promotion back into the Premiership, which they must be itching for.
Two well-executed strikes by livewire forward, Roy “Apama” Mwenga in each half carried the day for coach, Ndega Matsika’s troops, who were clearly the better side on the day, as they subdued a battling Yadah who got only scant consolation from a late penalty in the 2-1 defeat.
The crucial win took them level on points (53) with their Harare rivals who remained top courtesy of a superior single goal difference. Blowing some wind into their sail, overcoming Yadah as the race reaches the homestretch means that Buffaloes are now certainly up for it. If they can keep their foot on the pedal, then they can fancy their chances. They are in with a chance and their application in the remainder of the season – seven games – will determine their destiny.
Going by last weekend’s match, experience and determination saw Buffaloes get it right – they showed character and grit. After all, they are veterans who have been here before and done it.
They can always prevail and do it again since winning the D1 league is now well within their sights and grasp. The soldiers can surely march on from here and their fans can always salute them for that accomplishment at the finishing line come end of season.
A sustained fine run to see out the season with a flourish can see the former top-flight league side seize control of proceedings and leapfrog the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance-sponsored team.
However, Premiership promotion has become more difficult this time around – the winners of the four second-tier leagues will not get automatic promotion as was previously the case, but get pooled together where the two teams that finish top of the mini group will get elevated into the elite league.
There are four Division One leagues – Eastern, Northern, Central and Southern – and each winner from these respective groups will qualify for the play-offs to determine who secures a ticket for promotion into the Premiership. Two teams will be relegated from the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League at the end of this season.
Therefore, in this season’s campaign there are no prizes for coming second and the Mutare soldiers simply have to win the championship in their region and earn a berth in the play-offs that will also feature the winners of the other three divisions.
Thus winning the title in their respective league is just one of the two steps that Buffaloes will need to take to get back into the elite league, the second being one of the two teams that wins the playoffs.
While Buffaloes and Yadah will surely slug it out to win the Eastern Region, another ex-Premiership army outfit, Black Rhinos look like they have a comfortable foothold on the Northern Region, which they look set to win; Blanket Mine and Shabanie Mine are going toe-to-toe in the Central Region; while Bantu Rovers, Amagagasi, Bulawayo Chiefs and ZPC Hwange are in close contention for the Southern Region gold.
Among the 3 Brigade-based side’s remaining seven matches, derbies against prisons outfit Tenax and Mutasa-based Africa Trust could be season-defining for the obvious reasons and all eyes will be on these eye-watering fixtures.
Buffaloes eventually winning promotion back into the first-tier league and Mutare City Rovers staying up to set the stage for a first ever Premiership local derby pitting two teams from the diamond-mining city is a story for another day!
Win it for Chenge, guys!
Following an incident during the game in which their goalkeeper Chengetai Tandadzai was injured, the army squad’s quest for glory must have become double-barreled, really.
Tandadzai, or simply Chenge to the adoring Buffaloes faithful, was stretchered off the field and immediately ferried to the hospital after suffering a suspected fractured leg as he landed awkwardly when he went in for a corner under the challenge of a Yadah forward.
Friday Football Echoes could not manage to get the extent of the injury as the agile goalie is still being assessed.
For Buffaloes, they now have to win the D1 championship and eventually secure Premiership promotion for their comrade; a companion in the struggle who got injured in the line of duty while defending and advancing the cause of his battalion’s struggle. Buffaloes, win it for Chenge, guys!
Gamechanger wishes Chenge the speediest of recoveries!
It’s Game On, Play On!
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