Moses Chunga guns for top 8 finish

By Cletus Mushanawani

MAVERICK and nomadic Buffaloes gaffer Moses ‘Bambo’ Chunga believes a top eight finish for Buffaloes is a reality despite the tough operating environment haunting the team.

In a post-match interview at Sakubva Stadium after watching his disjointed side going down 0-1 to defending champions Dynamos on Sunday, Bambo, said people should not look much into that day’s result as the team is set to bounce back into winning ways.

“Yes, top-eight finish is still a reality to us. We have to take each game as it comes. What will stop us from achieving that goal when we have the manpower at our disposal? We have lost our encounter to Dynamos, but we should have at least come out with a draw.

“There are more things that count in a team’s performance than just playing the game. Our working environment at Buffaloes can improve and if some of the daily challenges we are facing are worked on, surely the team will be among the top eight teams at the end of the season.

“We are operating in a tough environment and we hope things will turn around for the better. Our fans should expect positive results in coming matches,” he said. Chunga, who replaced another nomadic coach, Luke “Vahombe” Masomere, recently, still has tough assignments ahead of him as he has to play in-form Caps United and surprise packages ZPC Kariba at home.

Both Caps United and ZPC Kariba are gunning for the championship. They are sitting on third and second positions respectively. ZPC Kariba are on second position behind Dynamos with 47 points, while Caps United are on third position with 45 points.

However, Buffaloes players are buoyed by the fact that they collected a point apiece from both clubs during their early encounters in Harare.

Although the team is sitting on the ninth position with 33 points, it should make it a priority to collect maximum points as teams like How Mine (32 points), Chapungu (29 points, with an abandoned match against Chiredzi still to be decided) and Shabanie Mine (29) are breathing down their necks.

Any slip-ups will see the team staring relegation like what happened last season when it survived the dreaded chop on the last match of the season.

Buffaloes’ fortunes suffered a major blow this season after its major benefactor, Mbada Diamonds, failed to avail the monetary donations it was giving the team during the past two seasons, leaving the team struggling to meet some of its day-to-day operations.

At one time, Masomere claimed that he was shouldering the responsibility of looking after the welfare of the players single-handed.

Being forced with the harsh operating environment at his disposal, Chunga is not losing sleep.

“As you have noticed during our match against Dynamos, we managed to give them a good run for their money, but a schoolboy blunder on the part of our defenders cost us dearly. It was sloppy defending which cost us and if we guard against such mistakes in coming assignments, nothing will stop us from collecting maximum points.

“My players should not put themselves under unnecessary pressure. They should stick to their traditional two-metre passes than making runs off the ball. If you fail to keep possession, you are bound to make a lot of mistakes and allow the enemy to expose all your weaknesses,” said Bambo.

Chunga will have more time to work on the areas badly exposed by DeMbare as the team will be in action this week to pave way for the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals to be played at Rufaro Stadium in Harare. In last Sunday’s match, Buffaloes failed to utilise their Sakubva Stadium dominance over Dynamos as they fell to a Washington Pakamisa’s solitary strike in the eight minute.

Dynamos have always found Buffaloes tricky customers in their Sakubva Stadium fortress.

Last season, Kalisto Pasuwa’s men dropped maximum points after being stunned 2-3 by the then Masicho Masachi-coached Buffaloes.

However, it was a different ball game this time as Pasuwa appeared to have done his homework properly. While the result was a pain in the flesh for Buffaloes and their fans, the Mutare side had something to cheer them on after recording arguably the best crowd ever to attend their home match this season.

More than 7 000 fans thronged Sakubva Stadium to watch the tension-filled match which saw fans clashing on the terraces. In some matches, Buffaloes’ passionate appeals to fans to attend their home matches have been falling on deaf ears.

At times, the team struggled to raise money to meet some of their statutory obligations as less than 1 000 paid to watch the Watungwa-Watungwa boys in action. Manica Post