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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

FOR a fact, topflight football is making it to Hwange next season, but for 90 minutes this Saturday afternoon the coal mining town will be torn apart as ZPC Hwange face Hwange Football Club at Ingagula Stadium.

Hwange FC, a permanent feature in the town’s football scene for decades now, play their home matches at the Colliery Stadium. Across town, ZPC Hwange, a new force to be reckoned with, host their games at Ingagula Stadium.

Both sides have considerably large numbers of fans, depending on which part of the town one stays and works. There is never an unimportant fixture when the two sides meet.

This time the stakes are even higher as both teams are chasing a promotion into the topflight league. Only one of them will be promoted up to the Premier Soccer League come the end of the season. The coalminers, who have made it no secret they want to make a quick return to top flight football are top of the log with 78 points while ZPC Hwange are second with 73 points.

In the event ZPC Hwange lose, they could fall off the race while Hwange will be in a good position to win it. The last time the two sides met, they both finished with 10 players on the field of play with the game ending in a 2-2 stalemate at the Colliery. 

Seasoned midfielder Thabani Goredema of Hwange was sent off five minutes before the break for protesting a penalty decision by referee Hardly Ndazi. ZPC Hwange also had Phakamani Dube red carded 10 minutes prior to the end of the match.

Hwange Football Club

Courage Sibanda gave Hwange the lead in the 12th minute with Justin Kaunda providing the equaliser for ZPC with 35 minutes played. Bhekani Sibanda made it 2-1 for ZPC on the hour mark before Kelly Shiyandindi secured the point for Hwange with a 72nd minute penalty.

Hwange coach Try Ncube has predicted a tough encounter.

“It’s a tough match coming up, the stakes are high. We know it won’t be easy, we will try our best to get a good result. It’s a very significant game, fine we were taking each game as it comes, but this is a huge one.

“We know if we win we will be almost in. So we will do our best to get a favourable result. We would like to win this one for sure, a draw will also not be a bad result. While a loss for us will give them momentum and send the race down to the wire with three games left. It’s all to play for in this fixture. It’s more than a derby,” Ncube added.

ZPC Hwange coach Njabulo Dube also predicted a difficult clash.

“It’s a big game. I believe we have prepared well for this encounter. If we are to win the league this is a game that we should win. We will do our best to try and collect maximum points. Everyone is looking forward to this game and we are certain both sides are going to provide quality football,” said Dube.

ZPC Hwange

“The community has been talking about this game all week and they are really looking forward to the encounter. Whoever wins the encounter the community is the biggest winner as topflight football is certainly coming to Hwange. 

“Fixtures of this magnitude are not only good for the fans but players and the league as well,” he said.

No matter the outcome, come the end of the 90 minutes, Hwange will rejoice as PSL football is making a return to this football mad town. – @innocentskizoe.