SAKUBVA Stadium, the home of Premiership football side Buffaloes, was yesterday condemned by the Zifa Grounds Committee as unfit to host top-flight league matches just a day before the 2015 season commences.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Premier Soccer League chairman Twine Phiri led the committee which toured the facility yesterday where they noted that the Mutare City Council had not yet done enough to renovate the stadium after it was initially condemned in January this year.
Phiri told NewsDay Sport yesterday that Mutare City Fathers requested for another week to finalise on the renovations.
“We visited Sakubva Stadium today (yesterday) as we wanted to inspect the ground. They are moving forward as compared to the last time we visited the ground. But the Stadium remains condemned. They (Mutare City) have requested for another week to finish the renovations so we will be back on Wednesday to check on the progress. What we have found out is that they need to change their goal posts and need new ones. They also need to improve their dressing rooms,” Phiri said.
The Eastern Border City town clerk Obert Muzawazi could not be reached for comment yesterday. Should the stadium remain condemned, Buffaloes will likely use Vengere Stadium, the home of fellow Premiership side Dongo Sawmill.
Vengere Stadium is situated in Rusape, some 94 kilometres away from Mutare.
Buffaloes travel to Harare to face league champions Dynamos in their opening match of the season on Saturday and the army side’s first home match will be against Triangle.
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Coach Joseph Takaringofa, who will be in charge of this match, his debut in the top-flight, is anxious about the experience.
The gaffer was been thrown into the deep end after the resignation of Moses Chunga last week. In throwing in the towel, Chunga cited the club’s executive’s failure to look into his and the players’ welfare.
The other reason why Chunga walked away was in protest of the club’s directive for him to register just three civilian in their 2015 season squad due to the financial problems facing the club. Chunga wanted to register 10.
Ironically, it was Chunga who lured Takaringofa to Mutare after sacking first assistant coach Timothy “Sicho” Masachi in January.
“Yes, it will be my first game in charge of a Premiership team. I will take it as a challenge, but remember, I was working with Moses Chunga and he is good mentor. I managed to learn some tricks from him and I am hopeful to be successful,” he said.
“We are expecting the match to be tough. But honestly for me, I can’t wait for the game and I am doing everything possible to motivate the players. We have managed to register Prosper Matizanadzo which should be a boost for us as he is the most experienced player in our squad,” he said.
However, Buffaloes, who beat Dynamos 1-0 in this fixture last season, will be missing the services of defender Liberty Chakoroma and midfielder Admire Dzumbunu who are in camp with national Under-23 team ahead of the first leg first round All-Africa Games match against Cameroon on Sunday.
