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Tobias Mandoreba in Hwange
AMBITIOUS Zifa Matabeleland North Inganyana Division Three league pacesetters Nekatambe Cheetahs hope to emulate the feat by Premiership side Tsholotsho FC and become another team from rural Matabeleland North province to feature in the top flight league at least by 2021.

The Charles Sibanda-coached team leads the pack in a 16 team league comprising teams from Dete, Nsongwa, Mabale, Dinde, Gwayi, Lupote and Makwandara and now entering Week 9 this weekend.

According to the founder and sole sponsor, Chief Nekatambe from Dete, his ambition is to help promote soccer in the province and will channel more resources to strengthen the team which he formed in 2015.

“This team will continue to grow and be a big brand in this province as a whole in the next few years and I can confidently declare that we will be in Division Two next year and then storm into Division One league in 2019. I will give myself a year or two to learn the ropes and study that league and aim for the big league within two years from then and emulate Tsholotsho’s feat.

The players are ready to fight for glory and with the talent we have in this province and with some sound technical guidance from within football quarters around, we should be able to identify skilled players and should I also get some partners in future who have a passion for soccer like me, we will join hands to make this team a huge football brand,” said Chief Nekatambe.

Chief Nekatambe bought the team’s full kit and caters for the team’s transport for both home and away matches.

Players who have shone like beacons for Cheetahs this season include star player William Ngwenya, Sydney Ndlovu and Aleck Sibanda and Devine Nekatambe.

In the last round of fixtures a Sydney Ndlovu brace saw Cheetahs downing Buffaloes 2-0 with Eagles doing Cheetahs a huge favour with a 3-0 win over second placed Black Rhinos, a Vitalis Ndlovu brace and a goal by Thomas Moyo making the difference.

Week 9 fixtures at a glance

Tigers v Zebras (Gwayi); Rock rabbits v Eagles (Gwayi); Buffaloes v Elands (ZRP Dete); Black Rhinos v Sparrows (Makwandara); Sables v Nekatambe Cheetahs( Main Camp); Hyenas v Bushbucks(Mabale); Chapungu v Maganyani (Dingani).

— @tobymandox