ZPC Kariba could finally play their first Castle Premiership football match at Nyamhunga Stadium in Mashonaland West for the first time since the team was promoted into the top-flight.
WELLINGTON TONI SPORTS EDITOR
The club, which finished in second place last season, played all its home games at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare after the refurbished stadium failed to meet the standards of the league.
While the pitch and the perimeter fence to the ground had been completed, the dressing rooms and stands failed to pass the test, forcing the club to stay grounded in the capital, about 368km away.
Club spokesperson Fadzai Chisveto told NewsDay Sport yesterday that their target was to return to Kariba this season.
“We are finalising on that and that is our main priority to ensure that we play at Nyamhunga this season, but I cannot give a time frame. We will be discussing with the executive to map the way forward,” she said.
The team starts training on Monday. Besides ZPC, the other team in the top flight that does not have a venue is Tsholotsho Football Club, newly-promoted from the Southern Region.
The club has set an ambitious target of starting and finishing the construction of a stadium by February 26 which, to all intents, is not possible.
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Their choices are only the Colliery Stadium in Hwange, more than 200km away from Tsholotsho or the newly-refurbished White City Stadium in Bulawayo, 115km away.
ZPC have managed to hold on their prize assets for the coming season, retaining head coach Saul Chaminuka, Soccer Star of the Year Dennis Dauda and his two runners-up, goalkeeper Tendayi Hove, veteran striker Limited Chikafa, Artwell Nyamiwa and Pride Tafirenyika.
Dynamos have been sniffing around defender Obey Mwerahari, but the ZPC man has 12 months to go on his contract with the electricity men and the league champions have been quoted $9 000 for his signature.
ZPC will also welcome back Raphael Manuvire from a long term injury suffered just three months after the season had started.
The midfielder was at the receiving end of a nasty challenge from Chapungu United’s Blessed Mbavarira in June 2014, but luckily for the 26-year-old, he suffered no broken bones, but would go on to miss the rest of the season.
While ZPC had a good run last season, they ended with no silverware, losing the league title on the last day of the season and failing to make headway in the Chibuku Super Cup which was eventually won by FC Platinum.
They will now look to seize the opportunity to build on last season’s run when they finally play in front of their home fans.
