Amini to axe players

BULAWAYO City FC coach Amini Soma-Phiri is likely to wield the axe on five senior players during the mid-season transfer window, as he tries to save the municipal side from relegation.

Amakhosi survived the chop on the last day of the 2017 season and are presently languishing in the drop zone, second from the bottom with 10 points.

Mutare City Rovers anchor the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table with eight points from 14 games.

Soma-Phiri took over from Darlington Dodo and has so far registered a single win against Shabanie Mine, who they beat 2-0. They went on to suffer a 0-4 hammering by title favourites Ngezi Platinum Stars before falling by identical 0-1 score lines to               Highlanders and ZPC Kariba respectively.

With a full complement of 25 players registered in the seniors' slot, the former Highlanders' player and coach will either have to bring in four juniors since they have just one player in that slot or wield the axe on some seniors that have failed to come to the party.

Speaking at a media briefing, Soma-Phiri said he does not believe some of the players at his disposal will carry the day for him and as such, new recruits are needed.

"We have to beef up our squad; we have to get about five guys that are going to fill the gap, there is a lot that needs to be done," said Soma-Phiri.

"Not to say I am not entirely happy with the guys that are there now, but I don't honestly think they will carry the day for me throughout the year, so all I'm              looking for is to add some value to the players that I have because we don't have depth in certain departments.

"I am not looking for strikers, but I am looking for players that will carry the day for me and make us get goals, not necessarily strikers," he said.

Although he didn't mention the players he was likely to bring on board, sources said Highlanders' defender Benson Phiri, who is on loan to Division One side Zim Leopards, was certain to bounce back into the Premiership as well as Bosso 90's Denzel Khumalo. Former Zimbabwe skipper Method Mwanjali is also believed to be on the City radar.

City return to Barbourfields Stadium this weekend to take on Yadah on Saturday.

Fixtures

Friday: Black Rhinos v Chicken Inn (NSS)

Saturday: FC Platinum v Shabanie Mine (Mandava), Herentals v Nichrut (NSS), Harare City v Highlanders (Rufaro), Bulawayo City v Yadah (Barbourfields)

Sunday: Caps United v Mutare City Rovers (NSS), Chapungu v ZPC Kariba (Ascot), Bulawayo Chiefs v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Luveve), Triangle United v Dynamos (Gibbo)