H-Metro Reporter
AFTER a perfect home campaign, in which they are unbeaten in 16 games at Pfupajena, Chegutu Pirates have one more hurdle to try and leap there on Saturday, in their quest for immortality.
They need to beat Herentals Under-20, in their final game of the season, to finally secure their place in the domestic Premiership and write the local game’s Cinderella story of 2023.
The Pirates, who are also known as Zaire and Dzinza, have become the toast of domestic football in the past week with their town’s colourful quest for the league title capturing the imagination of the country.
“I just have a feeling this team (Chegutu Pirates) could change the Premiership,” noted former H-Metro Deputy Editor, Charles Mushinga, from his base in England.
“The mood about Zim football was just different yesterday (Saturday). Hora Zaire!
“I hope they finish the job.”
That requires a win on Saturday against one of the strongest sides in the league.
Pirates are unbeaten at home this season and it has been their invincibility, at home, which has powered their surprise strong championship campaign.
Will they lose the one that matters the most on Saturday?
They showed the character of champions, under severe pressure from a record home crowd of more than 7000 fans, in their swim-or-sink showdown against Black Mambas, last Saturday.
The Pirates knew that any result, which wasn’t a win for them, would take the championship race away from their control.
And, playing as a team, they defended in numbers and attacked as a unit resulting in defender Gibson Gaison scoring the winning goal.
Pirates have only lost three times this season against Trojan (0-1), MWOS (0-2) and Golden Eagles (0-1).
All the losses came away from home.
However, they also powered themselves to some impressive wins, away from home, with their 3-0 victory over Harare City in the capital, the best of the lot.
When the league took a break, after 19 games, Pirates were in fourth place, 10 points behind leaders Black Mambas.
But, they turned things around impressively, while the leading trio struggled, and Zaire now find themselves a point clear at the top of the table.
They have won their last SEVEN games and if they can make it EIGHT in EIGHT on Saturday, they will be crowned champions.