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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO City FC have appointed Amini Soma-Phiri as their new head coach, replacing Darlington Dodo who was fired last week following a string of poor results.

City find themselves languishing in the relegation zone in their third season in the Premiership and need to start picking up points to avoid last year’s scenario where they survived the chop on the last day of the season.

City have dropped a massive 23 points after 10 rounds of games, picking up only seven from their opening day 2-0 win over Chapungu, a 1-1 draw with Bulawayo Chiefs and last Wednesday’s 3-0 home thrashing of Nichrut.

The win over newly promoted Nichrut ended City’s seven-game winless run, which included a losing streak of five matches.

Dodo was fired after their 2-1 loss to Dynamos on Match Day Eight after it became clear that he was not going to reach the 34-point mark at mid-season.

Soon after the departure of Dodo, who failed to save Tsholotsho from relegation in 2017, City beat Nichrut before losing the Bulawayo derby against Chicken Inn 2-1. National Under-20 coach Bekithemba Ndlovu was in charge of City’s last two games on an interim basis.

Phiri has been mandated to get City out of the relegation hellhole and began his duties on Monday.

Jerry Sibanda, City’s chairman, confirmed Phiri’s appointment.

“Amini Soma-Phiri has been engaged as our coach for the rest of the season. We will review the team’s performance at the end of the season and if he has done well, which we are confident he will, then his stay at Bulawayo City FC will be extended,” Sibanda said.

Phiri will be assisted by Ndlovu, goalkeepers’ trainer Julius Ndlovu and technical advisor Barry Daka.

Soma-Phiri becomes the fourth coach to take charge of City in their third Premiership season after Philani “Beefy” Ncube, who led the club to the topflight, Mandla Mpofu (2017) and Dodo.

Soma-Phiri begins his “#SaveCity” campaign with a home game against Shabanie Mine on Saturday. He has seven tricky games to turn around the fortunes of the club by mid-season.

After Shabanie Mine, City travel to log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars before they host Highlanders, visit ZPC Kariba, and welcome Yadah. City’s last two games before reaching the halfway mark are away to Caps United and home to Mutare City.

It remains to be seen whether Phiri will manage to motivate the charges to escape relegation.

He has a number of experienced players at his disposal such as goalkeeper Takudzwa Ndoro, defenders Erick Mudzingwa, Zephaniah Ngodzo, Zibusiso Sibanda and Crispen Ncube. Midfielder Rainsome Pavari has been City’s outstanding player and they also have midfielders Innocent Kutsanzira, Sipho Ndlovu, Humphrey Ncube and Trevor Ndlovu, who are capable of turning around the team’s fortunes.

Soma-Phiri should get strikers Ishmael Wadi, Toto Banda and Mgcini Sibanda to start firing again for City to climb to safety.

Fixtures

Match Day 11

Saturday: FC Platinum v Triangle United (Mandava), ZPC Kariba v Mutare City Rovers (Nyamhunga), Yadah FC v Highlanders (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo City v Shabanie Mine (Barbourfields)

Sunday: Caps United v Ngezi Platinum Stars (National Sports Stadium), Chapungu v Chicken Inn
(Ascot), Bulawayo Chiefs v Dynamos (Barbourfields), Black Rhinos v Herentals (Rufaro)

Table

P     W     D     L     F     A     GD     Pts
Ngezi Platinum     10     8     2     0     16     2     14     26
FC Platinum     10     8     1     1     15     4     11     25
Highlanders     10     6     2     2     13     7     6     20
Chicken Inn     10     5     4     1     13     7     6     19
Triangle United     10     6     1     3     12     8     4     19
Harare City     10     4     5     1     9     6     3     17
Caps United     10     4     4     2     13     9     4     16
Nichrut     10     3     3     4     10     12     -2     12
Bulawayo Chiefs     10     2     5     3     8     10     -2     11
Black Rhinos     10     2     4     4     6     9     -3     10
Yadah FC     10     2     4     4     9     16     -7     10
Dynamos     10     2     3     5     9     12     -3     9
Shabanie Mine     10     1     6     3     11     16     -5     9
Herentals     10     2     3     5     4     10     -6     9
ZPC Kariba     10     1     5     4     5     11     -6     8
Chapungu     10     2     2     6     7     14     -7     8
Bulawayo City     10     2     1     7     10     12     -2     7
Mutare City     10     1     3     6     8     12     -4     6

@ZililoR