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Ricky Zililo, [email protected]

CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League debutants Sheasham FC will have perfect tonic for their supporters as they meet table toppers Highlanders in its first topflight home match at the newly renovated Bata Stadium in Gweru.

Powered by Sheasham Construction, the Gweru-based Premiership side plays hosts to Bulawayo soccer giants Highlanders in the 8 000-seater stadium on Sunday after the Zifa First Instance Body (FIB) granted the facility the green light for topflight games.

Bata Stadium has 250 bucket seats at the VIP, with concrete and lawn terraces taking up to about 8 000 people.

The country’s Caf-trained grounds experts also approved the Colliery Stadium, meaning that Hwange will now use the venue for their home games starting with the Bulawayo Chiefs encounter set for Sunday.

 

Unlike the Colliery Stadium which last played host to Premiership games in 2019, Bata Stadium has not been functioning for about 30 years before Bata Power went defunct.

Bata Stadium is likely to be fully packed on Sunday, with the majority of Highlanders fans travelling to rally behind their side that is enjoying a good run which has seen Bosso occupy the top spot.

Sheasham’s fans who have been traveling with the team while it played their home games away at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane will be joined by supporters who stayed in Gweru when they went away for matches.

Sheasham have so far played four home games away from Gweru which have ended in draws against Chicken Inn, Yadah, Greenfuel and Simba Bhora.

Starting with the Highlanders match, Sheasham will use their Bata Stadium for 13 league ties.

Happiness Dziva, an engineer who oversaw the Bata Stadium facelift said they are excited to be bringing Premiership games to Gweru.

“Obviously we’re excited that finally we get to play at home, we get to have the home advantage and above all topflight action is coming to Gweru.

Everyone is excited that the amount of hard work put into working on the stadium that had been dilapidated as it hadn’t been used for about 30 years has paid off.

“We hope the team will do well at the new home and repay Sheasham Construction, strategic partners and everyone involved in this project with winning performances,” said Dziva, who is also the club’s vice-president.

Sheasham, on position 13 with eight points in seven matches make a home start against Highlanders bubbling with confidence after registering their first Premiership win last weekend when they edged Cranborne Bullets 2-1.

Sheasham’s coach John Nyikadzino wants his charges to build on the Cranborne victory as they fight to steer away from relegation zone.

“I’m overly excited and over the moon that the wait for the special day to get three points has come and gone.

The boys now know how to win PSL matches and the win against Cranborne Bullets is going to help us going forward. We want to build on that victory as we continue to work towards getting positive results,” Nyikadzino said.

It will not be an easy first match of the season at home for Sheasham against Highlanders who they played to a 0-0 draw during pre-season.

Bosso, on 14 points after six games, will want to stay at the top of the table as long as possible.

Sheasham should be wary of Highlanders who have won the two matches they have played out of Bulawayo this season.

Highlanders’ away victims are Black Rhinos who were beaten 1-0 on Matchday 2 and Yadah who fell 2-0 a fortnight ago.

Meanwhile, Hwange will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways when they host Bulawayo Chiefs who are unbeaten in three games.

Hwange open their Colliery Stadium account smarting from a 1-0 defeat to Highlanders.

Bulawayo Chiefs, who edged Yadah 2-1 on Saturday will be searching for a third consecutive win of the season.

A point separates eighth-placed Hwange on 10 points and Bulawayo Chiefs who are on position 11 tied on nine points with former champions Chicken Inn, making the coalminers and The Ninjas clash potentially explosive.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League
Matchday 8 fixtures
Friday, May 5: Simba Bhora v Cranborne Bullets (National Sports Stadium)
Saturday, May 6: Greenfuel v ZPC Kariba (Gibbo), FC Platinum v Manica Diamonds (Mandava), Chicken Inn v Herentals (Luveve), Yadah v Caps United (National Sports Stadium)
Sunday, May 8: Dynamos v Triangle United (National Sports Stadium), Sheasham v Highlanders (Bata Stadium), Hwange v Bulawayo Chiefs (Colliery)
Wednesday, May 10: Black rhinos v Ngezi Platinum Stars (National Sports Stadium)
— @ZililoR