HARARE -- After weeks of delays, the 2010Premier Soccer League season finally got underway on yesterday, but without a sponsor, raising genuine fears of a repeat of the 2006 season which also had no financial backer. (Pictured: Lloyd Chitembwe CAPS United coach)
Nestle Zimbabwe pulled out of the Charity Shield and CBZ Holdings, who were the league sponsors over the last two years, also withdrew their sponsorship and instead directed their funds to cricket. PSL chairman Twine Phiri however, is putting on a brave face and believes that they would be able to woo sponsors before the end of the season. “We are still working on the issue of sponsorship and I am hopeful we will be able to make an announcement very soon. We have done a lot of work behind the scenes and fans should look forward to a very successful and exciting season, he said.
Zimbabwes top has league been shunned by corporate partners since mobile phone company Econet withdrew sponsorship in 2005 following a fierce row with CAPS United who had accepted a private sponsorship deal with the mobile phone companys rivals, Net One. CBZ Holdings came to the PSLs rescue when they sponsored the league in 2007 after the games were played the previous without sponsorship. Highlanders won the league championship that year. Meanwhile Harare giants CAPS United take on premiership debutants Douglas Warriors at Rufaro tomorrow in a tricky encounter.
The league race though kicked off with former champions Dynamos squaring up against reigning champions Gunners at the same venue yesterday while Highlanders took on Black Mambas at Barbourfields. And focus now shifts to Makepekepe as they start another campaign on the domestic soccer scene hoping to bring back the glory days of the previous years when they were under the guidance of Charles Mhlauri. Mhlauri won two successive league titles with the Green Machine in 2004 and 2005. They were the last team to win back-to-back titles but in recent years, United have struggled to bring back those glory days.
And, this season, CAPS United, who are also still playing in the Caf Confederation Cup tournament, hope to wrestle the league title from Gunners especially after they came close last season following a late rally which saw them eventually settling for third position in the race behind winners Gunners and Dynamos who finished second. But, Lloyd Chitembwe’s charges will have to start with a win against little known Douglas Warriors. The Warriors fought a bitter battle in the Division One last year with Simba Stars for a place in the topflight following allegations of match fixing.
And after winning that battle, the Warriors are expected to justify why they believe they have the material to play in the elite league with a good show against seasoned campaigners CAPS United. The Warriors welcome back their players who featured for Lengthens in the Confederation Cup preliminary and first round matches. They include strikers Admire Dzukamanja, Tawanda Mparati and Rafael Manuwere and goalkeeper Lovemore Makwavarara played for Lengthens. Douglas Warriors coach Beaven Gwamure was upbeat his side’s chances against CAPS United. He said he had the material to match CAPS United blow by blow.
He said: “CAPS United have been playing competitive football in the last few weeks and have an advantage but the guys are looking forward to put up a good show. “We are not worried much about them because we have nothing to lose and it is them who should be worried about us because they have a reputation to protect.”
Fixtures:
Monday: CAPS United v Douglas Warriors (Rufaro), Lengthens v FC
Victoria (Dzivarasekwa), Hwange v Kiglon (Colliery), Bantu Rovers v
Shabanie (Barbourfields), Shooting Stars v Motor Action (Ascot)
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News