Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
BANTU Rovers maintained pole position in the Zifa Southern Region Division One League following a 4-0 thumping of ZRP Hwange at Luveve Stadium last Saturday.
The victory took Rovers’ points tally to 34, one ahead of second-placed Amagagasi, who also collected maximum points against Bulawayo Chiefs at the weekend.
Rovers’ coach Johannes Ngodzo was happy with his players’ conversion rate, saying they worked hard for the win over ZRP Hwange.
Fortune Nkomazana, joint winner of the Nokel Security Southern Region Division One top goal scorer accolade for May with ex-Amagagasi forward Nhlanhla Ndlovu, took his season’s goals tally to eight after scoring a brace for Rovers.
The log leaders’ other goals came from Joshua Wilson and Lenience Mpofu.
“I’m happy with the win and the guys have really been amazing. They’ve been working hard with every passing week and we continue to learn and correct mistakes after each game. We’re not carried away with being at the top of the table and what is important is not to succumb to pressure that comes with being the team to beat. We’re bracing for a tough second half of the season,” said Ngodzo.
Rovers gave former national team and Highlanders captain Gilbert Banda some game time, the dreadlocked defender replacing the injured Crispen Ncube.
Banda has been brought in to add depth at Rovers and his experience is expected to come in handy in the second half of the season when the title race gets tougher.
Teams expected to give Rovers a good run in the championship race are Amagagasi, who beat Chiefs 1-0 at Chinotimba Stadium, Victoria Falls.
Amagagasi scored through Bright Dzowa to punish Chiefs, who missed a penalty through Proud Zireni.
Chiefs are fourth with 27 points from 13 matches and can end the first half of the season with 33 points and maybe move to second position depending on the number of goals they would scored in the two games in hand they have.
Anzilom Ndlovu, the Chiefs’ coach, is looking forward to tomorrow’s match against Casmyn.
“I think the game against Casmyn will be tough and we’ve to show character after this defeat. We can’t think a lot about the loss to Amagagasi, but we can change our destiny by being in the right mindset when we play our midweek encounter,” said Ndlovu.
Results
Saturday: Bantu Rovers 4-0 ZRP Hwange, ZPC Hwange 1-1 Makomo, Hwange Juniors 1-1 Ntabazinduna, Victoria Falls Tigers 1-1 ZRP Bulawayo Province
Sunday: Amagagasi 1-0 Bulawayo Chiefs, Technosphere 1-1 Black Boots
Fixtures
Wednesday, July 27: Casmyn v Bulawayo Chiefs (Turk Mine), Ntabazinduna v Victoria Falls Tigers (Ntabazinduna)
League Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Bantu Rovers 14 11 1 2 25 3 22 34
Amagagasi 15 10 3 2 22 7 15 33
ZPC Hwange 15 8 6 1 15 6 9 30
Bulawayo Chiefs 13 8 3 2 19 7 12 27
Black Boots 15 6 4 5 19 13 6 22
Technosphere 14 5 5 4 9 11 -2 20
ZRP Bulawayo 15 5 4 6 13 13 0 19
Victoria Falls Tigers 13 5 3 5 14 14 0 18
Bosso90 15 4 4 7 16 20 -4 16
Talen Vision 15 4 4 7 13 19 -6 16
Ntabazinduna 14 3 6 5 7 18 -11 15
Casmyn 13 3 5 5 11 12 -1 14
Hwange Juniors 15 3 4 7 6 13 -7 14
Indlovu Iyanyathela 15 4 2 9 8 20 -12 14
Makomo 15 3 4 8 8 14 -6 13
ZRP Hwange 14 2 3 9 10 25 -15 9