The ManicaPost
Senior Sports Reporter
THE ZIFA Eastern Region Division One might have welcomed the once exciting Chipinge side Gaza Gunners among other new entrants but the league is set to commence at a later date as the region only has 12 teams that have so far paid up their affiliation fees.
The 2018 season of the Zifa Eastern Region promises to be exciting with a number of new teams that all have the pedigree to challenge for top honours come the end of the season.
Chisumbanje ethanol producing owned Green Fuel FC and Manica Diamonds FC are expected to compete for the league title against favourites Buffaloes.
On paper, correctional services outfit Tenax are also a threat to the throne but their well known lack of resilience towards the end of the season have left them with nothing more than the league party spoilers tag.
Eastern Region secretary Simba Wisdom confirmed the return of Gaza Gunners.
“We currently have 12 teams that have paid up their affiliation fees or at least made part payment. We are expecting more teams to pay soon so that we can move on with arranging the fixtures. If we have 14 teams we can make the fixture.
“At the moment we cannot come up with the fixture because we run the risk of placing teams that will not be able to affiliate.
“Teams suggested that we start the season on April 21 but we might start a week earlier if the teams complete the registration processes in time,” said Wisdom.
However, the return of Gaza Gunners, who are also yet to pay their affiliation fees, is expected to lighten up the sleepy town of Chipinge where fans used to throng Gaza Stadium before the team sunk into oblivion owing to financial challenges two seasons ago.
Their new coach Chasten Ngondonga said his main aim was to finish the season among the top four in the league.
Ngondonga, who was assistant player coach at Mutare City Rovers at the beginning of 2016, has coached Future Stars Academy in Maputo in 2016 before coming back to Zimbabwe to do Caf B licence coaching course.
“We are aiming at a top four finish. I have assembled a team that has youngsters mostly below 23 years. However, we will add a few experienced players whom I have already identified,” said the 37 year old who was born and raised in Mutare.
Ngondonga started off his playing career at junior level with Zupco Mutare and won the prestigious Copa Coca Cola with Mutare boys High in 1998.
He turned out for Masvingo outfit FC Victoria during the 2009 and 2010 seasons and later joined Triangle FC in 2011 to 2015
A naturally gifted team leader, Ngondonga captained Triangle from 2014 to 2015 and led them to win One Wallet Cup final against Dynamos in 2014.
He captained Mutare City Rovers in 2016.
Ngondonga’s zeal to upgrade himself saw him attaining Caf B in 2017 in Zvishavane alongside veterans like Solomon Kaseke, Luke “Jukulile” Petros and Rowan Nenzou
He confirmed that some of the players joining the Division One returnees are Munya Sako from Harare Cty, Mark Makhuyana from Mutare City Rovers and Taurai Msindo from Bulawayo Chiefs.
He said locals make up the greater part of the team with the likes of talented duo of Lawrance Chirandu and Pride Mhlanga formerly of Triangle, also part of the list of players to feature for Gaza Gunners.
