Sports / Soccer
PSL matches kick off Friday
29 Mar 2016 at 01:33hrs | Views
THE 2016 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League will now begin on Friday with How Mine taking on newly promoted Bulawayo City.
Kennedy Ndebele, the PSL chief executive officer, said the Young Warriors' Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Botswana on Sunday had forced them to bring the How Mine and City clash forward.
"Our season now starts on Friday because we want to avoid a counter attraction as we have been advised that the national Under-20 boys' team will take on Botswana in Bulawayo on Sunday," said Ndebele.
"This means the How Mine and Bulawayo City game will now be played on Friday, with the Chicken Inn and Dynamos match brought forward to Saturday. The venue for the How Mine-City match will be announced in due course, but the defending champions' encounter against Dynamos, which will be broadcast live on SuperSport, will be played at Barbourfields Stadium," said Ndebele.
How Mine, who finished in 15th place last season, will be hoping for better fortunes under new coach Kelvin Kaindu, who has bolstered his squad with seven new additions.
The gold miners brought in the trio of right-back Praise Tonha, utility player Sakala Mukundike and attacking midfielder Pasca Manhanga from Triangle United as well as ex-Dynamos left-back Qadr Amini and former Whawha captain and utility player Marshal Machazane.
Ex-ZPC Kariba winger Tsepo Ranthokaone and defender Kudzai Chideu, who was signed from relegated Dongo Sawmill, complete the new faces How Mine acquired during the off-season.
Kaindu yesterday indicated that they were raring to go.
"Our preparations are on course, but the challenge has been the training grounds which were soaked by the recent heavy rains. Otherwise we are ready. Our target is to be identified with a style of play which you must be able to see, improve and be a team that will effectively compete," said Kaindu.
City will want to emulate Tsholotsho FC, who opened their maiden appearance in 2015 with a 1-0 win over Harare City.
Bulawayo City coach Philani Ncube, who reinforced his squad with 11 players, is wary of the first match against How Mine, whom he describes as a good side with a fantastic coach.
"Kaindu is a shrewd and fantastic coach and I'm sure he has worked hard to transform the club in the little time that he has been with How Mine. We're fairly new in the league and being our first game, we really have to be cautious. However, this doesn't mean we are just coming in to make up numbers because we want to stay in the league," said Ncube.
City's new signings include the Bulawayo Chiefs' duo of Brian Chikwenya and Proud Zireni, the former How Mine quartet of Brighton Dube, Nyasha Mukumbi, Morris Kadzola and Emmanuel Mandiranga, seasoned forwards Mkhokheli Dube and Thomas Chimenya who were at Chicken Inn last season, and former Highlanders' midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa.
Unheralded midfielder Sipho Ndlovu, formerly with Zifa Southern Region Division One side Technosphere, and ex-ZPC Kariba goalkeeper Liberty Chirava, complete the list of City's new signings.
Fixtures
Week 1: How Mine v Bulawayo City, ZPC Kariba v Border Strikers, Chicken Inn v Dynamos, Triangle United v Harare City, Caps United v Chapungu, Hwange v Highlanders, FC Platinum v Tsholotsho, Mutare City v Ngezi Platinum
Week 2: Bulawayo City v Tsholotsho, Highlanders v FC Platinum, Chapungu v Hwange, Ngezi Platinum v Caps United, Harare City v Mutare City, Dynamos v Triangle United, Border Strikers v Chicken Inn, How Mine v ZPC Kariba
Week 3: ZPC Kariba v Bulawayo City, Chicken Inn v How Mine, Triangle United v Border Strikers, Mutare City v Dynamos, Caps United v Harare City, Hwange v Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum v Chapungu, Tsholotsho v Highlanders
Week 4: Bulawayo City v Highlanders, Chapungu v Tsholotsho, Ngezi Platinum v FC Platinum, Harare City v Hwange, Dynamos v Caps United, Border Strikers v Mutare City, How Mine v Triangle United, ZPC Kariba v Chicken Inn
Week 5: Chicken Inn v Bulawayo City, Triangle United v ZPC Kariba, Mutare City v How Mine, Caps United v Border Strikers, Hwange v Dynamos, FC Platinum v Harare City, Tsholotsho v Ngezi Platinum, Highlanders v Chapungu
Week 6: Bulawayo City v Chapungu, Ngezi Platinum v Highlanders, Harare City v Tsholotsho, Dynamos v FC Platinum, Border Strikers v Hwange, How Mine v Caps United, ZPC Kariba v Mutare City, Chicken Inn FC v Triangle United FC
Week 7: Triangle United v Bulawayo City, Mutare City Rovers v Chicken Inn, Caps United v ZPC Kariba, Hwange v How Mine, FC Platinum v Border Strikers, Tsholotsho v Dynamos, Highlanders v Harare City, Chapungu v Ngezi Platinum
Week 8: Bulawayo City v Ngezi Platinum, Harare City v Chapungu, Dynamos v Highlanders, Border Strikers v Tsholotsho, How Mine v FC Platinum, ZPC Kariba v Hwange, Chicken Inn v Caps United, Triangle United v Mutare City
Week 9: Mutare City v Bulawayo City, Caps United v Triangle United, Hwange v Chicken Inn, FC Platinum v ZPC Kariba, Tsholotsho v How Mine, Highlanders v Border Strikers, Chapungu v Dynamos, Ngezi Platinum v Harare City
Week 10: Bulawayo City v Harare City, Dynamos v Ngezi Platinum, Border Strikers v Chapungu, How Mine v Highlanders, ZPC Kariba v Tsholotsho, Chicken Inn v FC Platinum, Triangle United v Hwange, Mutare City v Caps United
Week 11: Caps United v Bulawayo City, Hwange v Mutare City, FC Platinum v Triangle United, Tsholotsho v Chicken Inn, Highlanders v ZPC Kariba, Chapungu v How Mine, Ngezi Platinum v Border Strikers, Harare City v Dynamos
Week 12: Bulawayo City v Dynamos, Border Strikers v Harare City, How Mine v Ngezi Platinum, ZPC Kariba v Chapungu, Chicken Inn v Highlanders, Triangle United v Tsholotsho, Mutare City v FC Platinum, Caps United v Hwange
Week 13: Hwange v Bulawayo City, FC Platinum v Caps United, Tsholotsho v Mutare City, Highlanders v Triangle United, Chapungu v Chicken Inn, Ngezi Platinum v ZPC Kariba, Harare City v How Mine, Dynamos v Border Strikers
Week 14: Bulawayo City v Border Strikers, How Mine v Dynamos, ZPC Kariba v Harare City, Chicken Inn v Ngezi Platinum, Triangle United v Chapungu, Mutare City v Highlanders, Caps United v Tsholotsho, Hwange FC v FC Platinum
Week 15: FC Platinum v Bulawayo City, Tsholotsho v Hwange, Highlanders v Caps United, Chapungu v Mutare City, Ngezi Platinum v Triangle United, Harare City v Chicken Inn, Dynamos v ZPC Kariba, Border Strikers v How Mine
Kennedy Ndebele, the PSL chief executive officer, said the Young Warriors' Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Botswana on Sunday had forced them to bring the How Mine and City clash forward.
"Our season now starts on Friday because we want to avoid a counter attraction as we have been advised that the national Under-20 boys' team will take on Botswana in Bulawayo on Sunday," said Ndebele.
"This means the How Mine and Bulawayo City game will now be played on Friday, with the Chicken Inn and Dynamos match brought forward to Saturday. The venue for the How Mine-City match will be announced in due course, but the defending champions' encounter against Dynamos, which will be broadcast live on SuperSport, will be played at Barbourfields Stadium," said Ndebele.
How Mine, who finished in 15th place last season, will be hoping for better fortunes under new coach Kelvin Kaindu, who has bolstered his squad with seven new additions.
The gold miners brought in the trio of right-back Praise Tonha, utility player Sakala Mukundike and attacking midfielder Pasca Manhanga from Triangle United as well as ex-Dynamos left-back Qadr Amini and former Whawha captain and utility player Marshal Machazane.
Ex-ZPC Kariba winger Tsepo Ranthokaone and defender Kudzai Chideu, who was signed from relegated Dongo Sawmill, complete the new faces How Mine acquired during the off-season.
Kaindu yesterday indicated that they were raring to go.
"Our preparations are on course, but the challenge has been the training grounds which were soaked by the recent heavy rains. Otherwise we are ready. Our target is to be identified with a style of play which you must be able to see, improve and be a team that will effectively compete," said Kaindu.
City will want to emulate Tsholotsho FC, who opened their maiden appearance in 2015 with a 1-0 win over Harare City.
Bulawayo City coach Philani Ncube, who reinforced his squad with 11 players, is wary of the first match against How Mine, whom he describes as a good side with a fantastic coach.
"Kaindu is a shrewd and fantastic coach and I'm sure he has worked hard to transform the club in the little time that he has been with How Mine. We're fairly new in the league and being our first game, we really have to be cautious. However, this doesn't mean we are just coming in to make up numbers because we want to stay in the league," said Ncube.
City's new signings include the Bulawayo Chiefs' duo of Brian Chikwenya and Proud Zireni, the former How Mine quartet of Brighton Dube, Nyasha Mukumbi, Morris Kadzola and Emmanuel Mandiranga, seasoned forwards Mkhokheli Dube and Thomas Chimenya who were at Chicken Inn last season, and former Highlanders' midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa.
Unheralded midfielder Sipho Ndlovu, formerly with Zifa Southern Region Division One side Technosphere, and ex-ZPC Kariba goalkeeper Liberty Chirava, complete the list of City's new signings.
Fixtures
Week 2: Bulawayo City v Tsholotsho, Highlanders v FC Platinum, Chapungu v Hwange, Ngezi Platinum v Caps United, Harare City v Mutare City, Dynamos v Triangle United, Border Strikers v Chicken Inn, How Mine v ZPC Kariba
Week 3: ZPC Kariba v Bulawayo City, Chicken Inn v How Mine, Triangle United v Border Strikers, Mutare City v Dynamos, Caps United v Harare City, Hwange v Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum v Chapungu, Tsholotsho v Highlanders
Week 4: Bulawayo City v Highlanders, Chapungu v Tsholotsho, Ngezi Platinum v FC Platinum, Harare City v Hwange, Dynamos v Caps United, Border Strikers v Mutare City, How Mine v Triangle United, ZPC Kariba v Chicken Inn
Week 5: Chicken Inn v Bulawayo City, Triangle United v ZPC Kariba, Mutare City v How Mine, Caps United v Border Strikers, Hwange v Dynamos, FC Platinum v Harare City, Tsholotsho v Ngezi Platinum, Highlanders v Chapungu
Week 6: Bulawayo City v Chapungu, Ngezi Platinum v Highlanders, Harare City v Tsholotsho, Dynamos v FC Platinum, Border Strikers v Hwange, How Mine v Caps United, ZPC Kariba v Mutare City, Chicken Inn FC v Triangle United FC
Week 7: Triangle United v Bulawayo City, Mutare City Rovers v Chicken Inn, Caps United v ZPC Kariba, Hwange v How Mine, FC Platinum v Border Strikers, Tsholotsho v Dynamos, Highlanders v Harare City, Chapungu v Ngezi Platinum
Week 8: Bulawayo City v Ngezi Platinum, Harare City v Chapungu, Dynamos v Highlanders, Border Strikers v Tsholotsho, How Mine v FC Platinum, ZPC Kariba v Hwange, Chicken Inn v Caps United, Triangle United v Mutare City
Week 9: Mutare City v Bulawayo City, Caps United v Triangle United, Hwange v Chicken Inn, FC Platinum v ZPC Kariba, Tsholotsho v How Mine, Highlanders v Border Strikers, Chapungu v Dynamos, Ngezi Platinum v Harare City
Week 10: Bulawayo City v Harare City, Dynamos v Ngezi Platinum, Border Strikers v Chapungu, How Mine v Highlanders, ZPC Kariba v Tsholotsho, Chicken Inn v FC Platinum, Triangle United v Hwange, Mutare City v Caps United
Week 11: Caps United v Bulawayo City, Hwange v Mutare City, FC Platinum v Triangle United, Tsholotsho v Chicken Inn, Highlanders v ZPC Kariba, Chapungu v How Mine, Ngezi Platinum v Border Strikers, Harare City v Dynamos
Week 12: Bulawayo City v Dynamos, Border Strikers v Harare City, How Mine v Ngezi Platinum, ZPC Kariba v Chapungu, Chicken Inn v Highlanders, Triangle United v Tsholotsho, Mutare City v FC Platinum, Caps United v Hwange
Week 13: Hwange v Bulawayo City, FC Platinum v Caps United, Tsholotsho v Mutare City, Highlanders v Triangle United, Chapungu v Chicken Inn, Ngezi Platinum v ZPC Kariba, Harare City v How Mine, Dynamos v Border Strikers
Week 14: Bulawayo City v Border Strikers, How Mine v Dynamos, ZPC Kariba v Harare City, Chicken Inn v Ngezi Platinum, Triangle United v Chapungu, Mutare City v Highlanders, Caps United v Tsholotsho, Hwange FC v FC Platinum
Week 15: FC Platinum v Bulawayo City, Tsholotsho v Hwange, Highlanders v Caps United, Chapungu v Mutare City, Ngezi Platinum v Triangle United, Harare City v Chicken Inn, Dynamos v ZPC Kariba, Border Strikers v How Mine
Source - chronicle
