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Methembe Ndlovu

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
STRUGGLING Bulawayo side Bantu Rovers hope the change of venue from Luveve Stadium to Hartsfield Grounds will also see a change for the better in their fortunes.
Tshintsha Guluva, sitting on position 15 on the standings with just 16 points from 19 matches, square off against equally troubled Harare City in an early kick off this afternoon and head coach and co-director, Methembe Ndlovu is praying the football gods smile on them this time around.

The Premiership returnees have been playing brilliant football only to find themselves on the losing end come 90 minutes.
“My hope is that the shift to the new venue will also come with some luck for us. We have been playing well at Luveve Stadium but still find ourselves on the receiving end,” said Ndlovu, a championship winning coach with his childhood side Highlanders in 2006.

Ndlovu said his boys have been creating chances and not burying them only to make elementary mistakes and get punished by their opponents.

Asked whether he would have still kept the coach had he not been the one in charge of the technical bench, Ndlovu conceded that results were really not pleasing.

“It’s a difficult call for me but as one of the directors, I am really not happy with the results so far and we will certainly review our structures at the end of the season,” he said.

Made up of largely young players in the elite league, the side still has tried and tested veterans who can withstand the bruising battles of the Premiership.

In Ngodzo brothers Johannes and Zephaniah and Sizalobuhle Dube, Tshintsha Guluva have no reason to blame inexperience as the reason for their misery to date.

With the obvious support of the local community, mainly Highlanders supporters, Bantu Rovers should raise their game even higher and claim maximum points that could go a long way in easing their relegation worries.

They, however, come up against a transformed Harare City who became the first team to beat ZPC (Kariba) chalking a 1-0 win in the first round of the Chibuku Cup on Sunday.

The Sunshine Boys are yet to lose a match since Masimba Dinyero took over the reins from the reigning Castle Lager Premiership Coach of the Year, Bigboy Mawiwi, believed to be on the Chicken Inn radar.

How Mine, whose executive meet today to appoint a successor to Philani “Beefy” Ncube, will be looking for their first league win in eight matches when they entertain Buffaloes at the same venue soon after the Bantu Rovers match.

How Mine’s last win was ironically against their opponents today, way back on June 12, at Sakubva Stadium.
Elsewhere, Chicken Inn take their act to the Lowveld where they come up against Chiredzi at Chishamiso with head coach Joe Antipas aware that victory is non-negotiable if he wants to keep his job.

Fired up Caps United are away to troubled Shabanie Mine at Maglas Stadium while Black Rhinos, who are also yet to lose since Jostein Mathuthu took over the hot seat, are home to a Norman Mapeza coached FC Platinum.

Fixtures
Today: Chapungu v ZPC Kariba (Ascot), Black Rhinos v FC Platinum (Rimuka), Bantu Rovers v Harare City (Hartsfield Grounds, 1300hrs), How Mine v Buffaloes (Hartsfield Grounds, 1500hrs), Chiredzi v Chicken Inn (Chishamiso), Shabanie Mine v Caps United (Maglas)
Tomorrow: Dynamos v Hwange (Gwanzura), Highlanders v Triangle United (Hartsfield)