The ManicaPost
Senior Sports Reporter
BUFFALOES’ gaffer, Ndega Matsika, believes that being dislodged from the top of the Eastern Region Division One league table by new log leaders, Yadah FC is a wakeup call that should see them put more effort in their quest for a quick return to the Premiership.
Going into last week’s round of league matches, Buffaloes were on top of the table with only one point ahead of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries outfit.
The Mutare soldiers are now in second position on the latest log table after losing away to Melfort FC 0-2 last weekend, the same weekend that their Premiership promotion rivals, Yadah FC drew against Gutu FC away in Masvingo.
The results left Yadah on top of the table and opened a two-point lead.
Matsika believes that the recent development is a wakeup call for the Mutare side that invites them to put more effort if they are to realise a quick return to the Premiership.
He said they still had a good chance of reclaiming the top spot.
“I think we only need to remain focused. Yes, it was disheartening to lose away to Melfort. No-one wants to drop points at this stage of the competition, but that is part of the game.
“I think this served as a wakeup call for us. We have come a long way and we surely will not want to lose it at the last hurdle. We just have to finish off what we started.
“Buffaloes still have a good chance of winning the league. We have a good team and I do not doubt my players. They are also geared to win the league title.
“However, we just have to put more effort into it. We have to work extra harder in these last matches of the season,” said Matsika.
The Zifa Eastern Region Division One League race for the title is getting to its climax, with Buffaloes and Yadah looking set to take the race to the wire.
Typical of the competition over the years, dirty tricks that include biased match officiating are often employed as top teams gun for the coveted Premiership promotion.
Sadly, the Zifa Eastern Region administration has not yet sat and put in place measures to ensure that the race for the title is not marred by unethical conduct.
Zifa Eastern Region secretary, Simba Wisdom, told this newspaper that he was not yet aware whether teams likely to win the league would play their matches on the same date and time.
“I am not sure. I will come back to you after I have talked to my colleagues,’ said Wisdom after being asked whether they have already ensured that teams likely to win the league would play their matches on the same date and time.
