Zimpapers Logo

Senior Sports Reporter
CHAMPIONSHIP chasing Zifa Southern Region Division One side Bulawayo City have received a major boost ahead of their blood and thunder derby against Bulawayo Chiefs after experienced former Highlanders midfielder Welcome Ndiweni joined the municipal side.

City take on table leaders Chiefs at Luveve Stadium tomorrow.

Ndiweni becomes the fourth ex-Bosso player to join the ambitious City in the second transfer window after former skipper Innocent Mapuranga and youngsters Lewis “Rambo” Ncube and Arnold Ndiweni joined the lower tier club.

City supremo Jerry Sibanda, himself a former administrator at the Bulawayo giants Highlanders, chose to play his cards close to his chest when asked about his latest catch.

“We’re going to unveil one or two players whom I can’t name now,” said Sibanda.

In their last match, City were held to a surprise 0-0 draw by a stubborn Ntabazinduna side coached by the legendary Agent “Ajira” Sawu.

Chiefs, who lead the league table with 37 points, the same number of points as City, walloped Old Nic Mine 6-0 in a match sources say is now a subject of investigation following allegations that Old Nic Mine used an infield player as a goalkeeper.

The shock result saw Chiefs take their goals’ tally to 26, three more than the Philani “Beefy” Ncube-coached City.

The Division One championship race has reached an interesting stage and Musa Mandaza, the Zifa regional board chairman and his colleagues need to keep their eyes and ears firmly on the ground to keep out suspicions of match fixing.

In other matches, Old Nic Mine, still smarting from the heavy mauling, are home to Ntabazinduna while another mouth-watering derby will be in Hwange when Mpumalanga plays host to Technosphere. It’s a match that could go either way, although Technosphere start as favourites.

Bantu Rovers, who have been making a steady but largely unnoticed rise on the table, travel to the resort town of Victoria Falls to square off with Amagagasi on Sunday.

Johannes Ngodzo’s boys have been slowly climbing the ladder despite an indifferent start to their season and now lie third, seven points behind their city neighbours.

Fixtures

Today: Nust v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Nust), Bulawayo City v Bulawayo Chiefs (Luveve), Trumus v Makomo (Vic Falls), Casmyn v Hwange U20 (Turk Mine), Black Boots v ZPC Hwange (Fair Bridge), Old Nic Mine v Ntabazinduna (Old Nic Mine), Mpumalanga v Technosphere (Mpumalanga)

Sunday: Amagagasi v Bantu Rovers (Vic Falls)