Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIMBA Bhora will finally experience home advantage this weekend, 15 months after they became a Premiership club, when they host Greenfuel at their Wadzanai Stadium in Shamva.
Dynamos will have to host Hwange at Barbourfields in Bulawayo as Rufaro has not yet been certified while the National Sports Stadium is unavailable due to renovations aimed at readmission for international matches.
Herentals and CAPS United will travel all the way to Kariba for their match at Nyamhunga due to the stadium crisis in the capital.
The Zifa First Instance Board was satisfied with work being done at Wadzanai in a huge development for Simba Bhora who played all their home matches away from Shamva in their debut Premiership season last year.
“I have been told that the fans in Shamva are the best any club can have across Zimbabwe and I am yet to witness that. I can’t wait to see that for myself,” Simba Bhora coach Tonderai Ndiraya.
“I am told that they come in numbers each time their club is at home and I looking forward to witnessing that.
“We have been playing away from home for quite some time and we want to go back to our people. Some of them (fans in Shamva) have not been able to follow us for our matches.
“Only a few have been following us and thanks to ZTN some have been following the team on television but you and I can agree that not everyone who loves the team will have access to all that.
“So, we can’t wait to play before our fans in Shamva. We could not even go there and conduct our training session so it is a huge achievement that we can now go back and play competitive matches before our fans.”
Simba Bhora managed to lure several players, including former Soccer Star of the Year Walter Musona, ex-Bulawayo Chiefs trio of Malvin Mkolo, Billy Vheremu, Mthokozisi Msebe, Junior Makunike and Perfect Chikwende.
Week 2 fixtures
Saturday: Chicken Inn v Arenel Movers (Luveve); Dynamos v Hwange (B/F); Herentals v CAPS United (Nyamhunga); Ngezi Platinum v FC Platinum (Baobab); Simba Bhora v Greenfuel (Wadzanai)
Sunday: Bulawayo Chiefs v Highlanders (B/F); Chegutu Pirates v ZPC Kariba (Baobab).