Hwange FC winning streak threatened Nation Dube

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HWANGE FC’s five-match unbeaten run in the Southern Region Division One Soccer League comes under threat when they face Talen Vision at Luveve Stadium tomorrow.

Hwange, top the table with 52 points, five ahead of second-placed Tsholotsho, who will play their Week 23 encounter against Indlovu Iyanyathela on Wednesday.

The coalminers are on course for a quick Premiership return, having lost only twice by identical 1-0 score lines in 22 games against Tsholotsho on Week 3 and Toronto on Week 17. Both defeats were in Bulawayo.

Talen Vision, who are seeking a top four finish, head into tomorrow’s epic clash bubbling with confidence following a 6-0 win over NRZ Leopards.

Surprisingly, Talen Vision have decided to take Hwange to familiar territory, choosing to shift their home game from their favourite Gifford High School fortress to Luveve Stadium.

When Hwange lost to Tsholotsho, they played at Gifford and suffered their second defeat against Toronto at Indlovu Iyanyathela’s Mzilikazi Barracks (formerly Brady Barracks) ground.

Though Talen Vision coach Mkhuphali Masuku was not available for comment on their change of venue, sources said the gaffer requested to have the fixture played at Luveve Stadium.

“The coach asked for a change of match venue. I think it’s both tactical and psychological to move the game there. The last time Hwange beat Talen Vision, it was at a good facility (Colliery Stadium in Hwange) and Talen Vision dominated that game. I think he (Masuku) wants similar playing conditions to the first leg,” said a source.

In the first leg, Talen Vision had superior ball possession and with a bit of luck, they could have beaten Hwange. Talen Vision conceded the second goal in the last minute of injury time, a few minutes after their midfielder Nyasha Garayi had been red-carded.

Hwange coach Nation Dube is hopeful for a positive result against a Talen Vision outfit that he described as “compact”.

“It’s a tricky game because we are playing an organised and compact side. We are coming to Bulawayo to fight for a positive result. At this point of the season, every point is valuable and we can’t afford to drop points if we want to remain at the top,” said Dube.

Tsholotsho will be hoping Talen Vision does them a favour and beat Hwange, allowing them to close the gap; that is if they can win their game.

Another pick of the weekend pits ZPC Hwange and Toronto in Hwange, while Bosso 90 squares off with CIWU at Crescent.

Fixtures
Tomorrow: Talen Vision v Hwange (Luveve, 12PM), NRZ Leopards v Zim Leopards (Dete), Moto Moto v Makomo (Hwange), ZPC Hwange v Toronto (Hwange, 12PM), ZRP Bulawayo Province v Mainline (Ross Camp), Bosso 90 v CIWU (Crescent, 12PM)

Sunday: Mosi Rovers v Casmyn (Victoria Falls)

Wednesday, September 26: Tsholotsho v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Luveve)

Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Hwange 22 16 4 2 42 12 30 52

Tsholotsho 22 13 8 1 27 11 16 47

ZPC Hwange 22 10 9 3 21 11 10 39

I. Iyanyathela 22 10 7 5 29 16 13 37

Makomo 22 10 6 5 30 24 6 37

Talen Vision 22 9 8 5 31 15 16 35

Bosso 90 22 8 8 6 21 17 4 32

CIWU 22 7 8 7 23 21 2 28

Mosi Rovers 22 7 4 11 24 29 -5 25

Moto Moto 21 5 9 8 16 18 -2 24

Casmyn 22 5 7 10 12 24 -12 22

Zim Leopards 22 5 6 11 17 30 -13 21

Main Line 22 5 5 12 14 29 -17 20

Toronto 22 2 12 8 10 22 -12 18

ZRP Bulawayo 22 3 6 13 13 29 -16 16

NRZ Leopards 21 3 5 13 11 34 -23 14

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