How Mine capture Bosso striker

By Ricky Zililo

BULAWAYO – Former national Under-20 and Highlanders FC striker Mgcini Sibanda has joined cross-town rivals How Mine on a five-year contract.

Sibanda, 20, is How Mine’s last pre-season signing and joined the gold miners yesterday.

He has been a fringe player at Highlanders since joining the first team from the juniors in 2012 and leaves Bosso at a time when the club is looking for a seasoned striker.

The heavily-built player did well as a lone striker during the 2013 edition of the Cosafa Under-20 tournament in Lesotho but at club level coaches overlooked him preferring tried and tested players like Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube, Charles Sibanda, Gabriel Nyoni and Ozias Zibande over the years.

How Mine coach Luke Masomere was full of praise for Sibanda who scored four goals in two matches that they played against Black Boots on Saturday.

“Mgcini Sibanda is my player and belongs to How Mine. He’s one of the youngsters that we’ve identified. He has potential and capacity to play at the highest level. All he has to do is keep on working hard and I’m confident that he’ll be a top striker,” said Masomere.

“I want to groom him for bigger clubs outside Zimbabwe. He will be at How Mine for a minimum of five years unless he impresses foreign scouts and the club sells him. In as much as we want results, we’ve to think about the future and signing youngsters like Mgcini is what we’ll be doing as we build a squad for forthcoming years.”

In their friendly matches against Black Boots, How Mine won the first game 5-0 with Sibanda getting a hattrick. He scored once in the main match which How Mine won 3-0.

Sibanda will compete for a starting place with seasoned strikers Limited Chikafa and last season’s joint league top goalscorers Charles Sibanda and Kuda Musharu.

Speaking on his pre-season preparations, Masomere said he had finalised his squad meaning that they will be among the first clubs to submit their lists to the Premier Soccer League offices by close of business on Friday.

How Mine attracted big names during the off-season who include 2013 Soccer Star of the Year Tawanda Muparati, striker Charles and goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya from Highlanders, Caps United captain Tawanda Khumbuyani and ex-Dynamos defensive midfielder Devon Chafa. They also recalled Benjamin Marere from FC Platinum.

In addition, they acquired Chikafa, who sustained a minor injury on Saturday, from ZPC Kariba, Nafitara Ndale (Masvingo United) and Buffaloes’ Moses Gutu.

Players that Masomere retained from last season include midfield workhorse Menard Mupera, Musharu, Gilbert Banda, Wonder Sithole, Timothy January, Thembani Masuku, Young Warriors goalkeeper Donovan Bernard, Fungai Chirinda and Louis Matawu who are recovering from injuries and Nonjabulo Notice Dube.

Also done with assembling competitive squads are Chicken Inn, Chapungu and Hwange.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas yesterday said: “We’ve been training for about a month and it’s in the last two weeks which were intense where we figured out which players to submit to the PSL. I think as it is I can say we are 98 percent done with signing players.”

The Gamecocks brought on board Mitchell Katsvairo from FC Platinum, Tsholotsho FC’s Edmore Chirambadare who was the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League’s top goalscorer with 14 goals and David Temwanjira from Chiredzi.

Antipas promoted six players Amos Ncube, Musa Phiri, Godknows Mnkandla, striker Tambudzai Ngulube, goalkeeper Wandile Ndlovu and Thulani Nxusani from their development side.

The Gamecocks retained seasoned players like Mkhokheli Dube, Bhekimpilo “Bhaka” Ncube, skipper Danny “Deco” Phiri, former Soccer Star of the Year Clemence Matawu, Canaan Nkomo, Thomas Chimenya, Ishmael Lawe, Thabani Goredema, Brian Mbiriri, Moses Jackson and Ben Nyahunzvi who will lend their valuable experience to the youngsters.

Hwange coach Nation Dube’s off-season recruits are midfielders Gift Mbweti and Innocent Mucheneka who have been promoted from their development side which is competing in the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League.

“Basically we have the same squad with two additions from our juniors. We only lost Oscar Lungu and Richard Jongwe otherwise everyone is in,” Dube said.

Chapungu, who have so far played two friendly matches against FC Platinum and Highlanders all ending in identical 1-1 draws, are through with their signings.

John Nyikadzino, Chapungu’s head coach said: “We’re almost done with physical conditioning and we’re now perfecting combinations and trying out different tactics.”

The Gweru side beefed up their squad with Shabanie Mine’s duo of Smart Muchabaya and Marvelous Dhikinya, Moenda Muchingami (Chrome Stars), Tongai Magwendere (Caps United), Tendai Mukambi (Chicken Inn), Nhlanhla Ncube (Black Mambas), Simon Njeleza (Black Boots) and goalkeeper Talbet Shumba from FC Platinum.

It’s work in progress for newly promoted Tsholotsho FC and Whawha FC.

Whawha were beaten 3-0 by Plumtree Chiefs at Ascot Stadium in Gweru on Sunday.

“This was our first game and obviously this isn’t how we would’ve loved to start. It’s good that this is happening during the off-season and I think we will try to organise even midweek training games against opponents like Plumtree Chiefs who will give us a good run,” said Lloyd Mutasa, Whawha’s coach.

Highlanders are expected to finalise their squad today.

Source: The Chronicle