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NewsDay

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Giants raid poor Chiefs

Sport
Giants Dynamos and Highlanders have moved swiftly to snap up bargain buys at Bulawayo Chiefs in preparation for the 2020 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

Giants Dynamos and Highlanders have moved swiftly to snap up bargain buys at Bulawayo Chiefs in preparation for the 2020 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

A very reliable source at Chiefs said that Highlanders will make a hattrick of signings from Bulawayo Chiefs with goalkeeper David Bizabani, defender Malvin Mkolo and striker Farau Matare set to move to the Bulawayo giants.

The club’s top goal scorer for the just ended season Arthur Musiyiwa is set to join DeMbare.

Highlanders and DeMbare have not wasted time to bolster their squads as they look to launch title fights in the 2020 season.

In the just ended season Highlanders finished sixth, while Tonderai Ndiraya’s Dynamos were placed ninth in a season they struggled to make an impression.

DeMbare particularly struggled for goals, scoring just 28 goals all season and only Black Rhinos scored less in the entire league with 26 strikes.

The acquisition of Musiyiwa will help DeMbare improve their front line which has since lost Edward Sadomba, who hung his boots at the end of the season.

In the just ended season Ndiraya complained that he didn’t have quality players to mount a title challenge and the club is looking to back him in the transfer window.

Highlanders improved from a farce to a force once coach Pieter de Jongh stepped in midway through the season, but it was too late to mount any meaningful title challenge.

They won the Chibuku Super Cup and will be looking to build on that success.

For Chiefs, next term could well be another season of struggles as they are also set to lose Shadreck Nyahwa, who is on Triangle’s radar.

“We are likely to be building a new squad next season because we will be losing Diego (Musiyiwa) to Dynamos while three players, Bizabani, Matare and Malvin Mkolo are likely to go to Highlanders with Gabri (Nyahwa) wanted by Triangle,” said a reliable source.

Bulawayo Chiefs have fought relegation till the last day of the campaign for each of the two seasons, but they have produced some of the top players who are now at various clubs. Goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, Ishmael Wadi and Last Sithole moved to FC Platinum in 2015.

Sources have also revealed Magalane could be joining his former coach Norman Mapeza at South African outfit Chippa United.

Wadi is now at Harare City while Sithole moved to Chicken Inn.

Last year Chiefs had exciting attacking midfielder Perfect Chikwende going to FC Platinum, while the duo of Barnabas Mushunje and Polite Moyo joined Ngezi Platinum.

Other players who left the club are Gracious Muleya, now at relegated Chapungu and Andrew Tandi, who is with Black Rhinos.

Stanley Ngala left Bulawayo Chiefs for Manica Diamonds.

Chiefs are, however, said to be eyeing Zifa Southern Region Division One side Bosso 90’s striker Dominic Jaricha.

Despite the player exodus, the team believe next year they will not be fighting relegation with coach Thulani Sibanda who has been linked to other clubs, likely to stay.

They ended the season on the 13th position on 41 points from 34 games and beat giants FC Platinum, Chicken Inn, Dynamos, Harare City and Triangle in the 2019 campaign.