STRUGGLING Shabanie Mine will this afternoon lock horns with equally bedevilled army side Black Rhinos in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match that can be aptly described as a clash of wounded beasts at Maglas Stadium in Zvishavane.
EPHRAIM SHOKO
Shabanie Mine’s house seems to have caught fire, with coach Luke Masomere reportedly not in the best of books with club secretary Chengetai Phiri after his team was made to travel on the same day for their match against Motor Action on Saturday.
Masomere’s assistant Arnold Jani, assigned to entertain the media, yesterday said: “We did not have the funds to put up in Harare the night before the match, so we had to travel on the day of the match. We also had a breakdown on our way that saw us arrive late at the venue and we didn’t have adequate time to warm up.
“That resulted in us taking time to get into the game and as a result we conceded early goals.”
Sources privy to the goings-on at Shabanie Mine blamed the lack of resources on Phiri, whom they accuse of deliberately withholding funds to suffocate Masomere’s efforts. Phiri’s mobile number was not available yesterday.
Jani expressed belief this afternoon’s match would be a chance for his side to rise above the internal problems and grind out a positive result.
“We might have lost our previous matches, but I believe we are playing well. I think this time around we will get it right. We need to start collecting points and the boys are well aware of that. We really need to play as a team and support each other regardless of the challenges that we could be facing,” Jani said, whose side boasts a clean bill of health.
