BY FORTUNE MBELE
STUNG by the 5-0 mauling by Chapungu in their first Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) tie at Mandava Stadium on Saturday, Bulawayo Chiefs have moved swiftly to re-engage coach Thulani Sibanda ostensibly as a fitness trainer.
Sibanda got Bulawayo Chiefs promoted into the PSL last year and is believed to have master-minded the giant-killing acts against FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Highlanders last year, when he was the club’s technical analyst and fitness trainer.
He, however, does not have the mandatory African Confederation of Football (Caf) A-Licence to coach in the PSL and Bulawayo Chiefs last year hired Garthly Chipuka, who quit in January this year and Sibanda followed suit last month, abandoning the team, a few weeks before the league started.
Former Bantu Rovers and Tsholotsho coach Joseph Sibindi was brought into the fore.
Bulawayo Chiefs media officer Thulani Sibanda confirmed the club had re-hired Sibanda in the same capacity as fitness trainer and a technical reshuffle is on the cards.
“Sibanda has rejoined Bulawayo Chiefs. He comes back to take up his post he had last season which is fitness trainer. His return is not because of the weekend loss, but because of a realisation of the need to condition the players. Sibanda had left to pursue other objectives of his career and being a true member of the Chiefs’ family he has come back,” Sibanda said.
Chapungu were the highest scorers in the first week of the 2019 season, which had a tally of 22 goals compared to last year’s 14 in the first week.
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Three braces were scored at the weekend with Chapungu’s Brighton Mugoni and Ian Nyoni each getting a brace in the 5-0 drubbing of Bulawayo Chiefs and Allen Tavariswa weighing in with the other goal.
The other brace was recorded in Bulawayo by Chicken Inn’s Clive Augusto as the Gamecocks switched off visiting ZPC Kariba 3-1.
Simon Munawa scored the third for Chicken Inn with Nigel Makumbe scoring for the power utility side.
Congolese striker Ngandu Mangala nicked the other brace for Dynamos, who dispatched new boys Mushowani Stars 2-0 at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday.
Hwange were the only team coming from Division One to collect maximum points, beating Yadah 2-0 at the Colliery on Sunday with goals from Shepherd Gadzikwa and Gilbert Zulu while Manica Diamonds lost 2-0 to Caps United and TelOne played an away goalless draw withg Herentals.
