By Tafadzwa Goronga
They have only two matches to slam the door shut in the face of a perennial stalker; a stalker currently knocking on their doorstep and threatening their demise: Can the two caretaker gaffers save Hwange from the jaws of relegation?
Recently, the club fired Nation Dube from the position as head coach, and replaced him with Edmore Sibanda and Obert Moyo as caretaker coaches, and chairman Butholezwe Dube is refusing to throw in the towel as yet on survival chances.
“Edmore Sibanda will guide the team,and he will be assisted by Obert Moyo. I am hopeful we will be able to survive relegation at the end of the season,” said Dube.
Dube said assistant coach Edmore Sibanda and former skipper Obert Moyo have been asked to take charge of the remaining two matches, one away match against Chicken Inn and another against Herentals at the Colliery.
However, like a yoyo-yoyo, Hwange have been blowing hot and cold, bouncing in and out of the Premiership, and it seems as if the 2017 ghost that saw them being relegated to the unfashionable lower division could be haunting them again this season.
In 2017, Hwange were demoted to the Zifa Southern Region Division One, but bounced back in 2019 after winning the 2018 Division One Championship.
Chipangano, as Hwange is affectionately known by its legion of fans was established in 1940 at the Colliery, and was one of the clubs that formed the modern-day Premier Soccer League in 1992 when clubs broke ranks with Zifa’s Super League.
Hwange is also one of the four football clubs getting sponsorship from mining companies in the Premiership, with the others being defending champions Mimosa’s FC Platinum, Zimplat’s Ngezi Platinum Stars and Zimbabwe Diamond Mining Company’s Manica Diamonds.
With two matches before the end of the season, the top flight league has already claimed the scalp of Mushowani, who’s relegation has been confirmed after a one year flirtation in the top league.
Mushowani are sitting at the bottom of the log, while miners Hwange, one of oldest football clubs in Zimbabwe are second from bottom. Four teams will be relegated.
