The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Sports Reporter—
MUTARE totters on the brink of having two top flight league teams or going without a single team in the Premiership as City Rovers entertain Harare City tomorrow (Saturday) at Sakubva Stadium in a penultimate Castle Lager Premiership season tie that will have a huge bearing on their chances of survival while Eastern Region Division One side Buffaloes travel to Prime Rangers in one of their remaining two matches that will also have huge impact on their chances of getting promoted into the Premiership.
At one point during the 2016 football season, chances of having a real Mutare Premiership derby for the first time in pots independence history seemed so bright but suddenly went thin with each passing week as both Mutare City Rovers and Buffaloes started dropping points.
Interestingly, the match pitting Mutare City Rovers and Harare City presents the sensational return of Moses ‘Bambo’ Chunga to a match venue he called his home when he was at the helm of the Buffaloes technical department.
As Mutare City Rovers sweat it out against Harare City, their rivals in the relegation matrix Tsholotsho will be playing against city rivals Bulawayo City at the same time.
Mutare City Rovers know full well that the match against Harare City and the last away encounter against Ngezi Platinum are the only ones left before the curtain comes down on the 2016 Castle Lager Premiership season.
That the team is deep in the drop zone, lying second from the basement of the table, makes both remaining matches must win for the Taku Shariwa coached team.
On the other hand, Buffaloes’ chances of winning the Eastern Region Division One race for the title also hangs by a thread after Yadah Stars FC Gunners were reportedly awarded maximum points from their aborted league encounter against Prime Rangers.
The much anticipated boardroom decision to award Yadah Stars FC maximum points will obviously leave the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries outfit on the summit of the league table, thanks to a superior goal difference.
Mutare football benefactor James Lunga Meya, popularly known as Hwetu in football circles in Sakubva, said there is still hope of securing a Premiership slot for either Mutare City or Buffaloes but unity of purpose among key stakeholders in the eastern border city is crucial.
The South African based youthful businessman said both teams can still find themselves in the top flight league next season only if the players and coaches go an extra mile for the good of football in Mutare.
“I think all hope is not lost. We still have hope to have either Mutare City or Buffaloes in the top flight league next season. Better still, we can have both teams in the Premiership next season. All we need is unity of purpose something that I know lacks among the people of my hometown.
“It is high time that we come together and find solution to things that improve our status as a people from one city. After all, do you think players from Mutare will be prioritised by teams in Harare when they are in the Premiership? Certainly no!
“It is against this background that I hope as we get into the last two matches for both Division One and the Premiership, the people of Mutare will find reason in supporting the cause of teams from Mutare so that our youngsters have a platform to showcase their talents,” said Hwetu.
Hwetu, who has made numerous donations to teams and individual players in Mutare, was once a player who cut short his playing career that almost took him to Dynamos owing to business commitments.
After the match away against Prime Rangers, Buffaloes will wrap up their season with a date against Tenax at Sakubva stadium while on the other hand, Yadah Stars will play against troublesome Mutoko Traders this weekend before ending their season with an away fixture against Gutu.
