BY MAGRETH RUZVIDZO
Triangle United Coach Taurai Mangwiro is excited about the Chibuku Super Cup which kicks off at the weekend and wants to see his team starting on a high note.
He said the competition which marks the return of football post-COVID-19 lockdowns will give him and other coaches an insight into what they need to do with their teams ahead of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign starting in July.
“What the tournament will do is prepare us well, give us insights on the strengths and weaknesses in our squads ahead of the Premier Soccer League which is earmarked for July,” Mangwiro said.
“As a team, we are excited that we have the Chibuku Super Cup coming this weekend. We are indebted to the government for finally giving us the greenlight to resume training and we have always been an optimistic lot and the Chibuku Super Cup presents us with an opportunity to kickstart our season on a high note.”
Triangle lifted the 2018 Chibuku Super Cup following a 2-0 demolition of Harare City. Mangwiro is the first coach to win the trophy twice, having first won it with Harare City in 2015.
“We won the trophy before in 2018 and we believe it can be done again,” he said.
Mangwiro, however, said that they are likely to miss vice-captain Brian Chikwenya and Tyler Mukoniwa, who are both injured as they plunge into the country’s premier knockout tournament.
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“We are in the fifth week of our training and things have been looking good for us. The only setback we have is that our two key players are on the injury list, that is vice-captain Brian Chikwenya and Tyler Mukoniwa.”
His team has also lost players to other clubs.
“We had to bring in new personnel mainly coming from Division One, but we have got experience in the form of the likes of Ralph Matema, Jameson Gombwe and Shepherd Gadzikwa.”
They lost goalkeeper Talbert Shumba who moved to Zambia, Obey Mwerahari who opted not to renew his contract, Trevor Mahanga who has joined Dynamos and Allan Tavarwisa who is now at Caps United.
“We are understaffed in that we were unable to bring in replacements and at the moment the team is not recruiting any new players and it’s even worse in the goalkeeping department where we only have Ronald Mudimu and Takabva Mawaya to look up to,” he said.
“It’s a department where I feel we should have brought in replacements, but it’s the company policy that there is no recruitment, but all the same we remain hopeful and we are confident that we will do well in the tournament,” he added.
Triangle will be stationed in Zvishavane for the Chibuku Super Cup first phase where they will tussle with FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars and WhaWha for two berths into the next phase.
CHIBUKU SUPER CUP 2021
Matchday One fixtures
Saturday May 22
Bulawayo City FC vs Chicken Inn FC Barbourfields Stadium 1100hrs
Whawha FC vs FC Platinum Mandava Stadium 1300hrs
Caps United FC vs Yadah FC National Sports Stadium 1500hrs
Tenax CS FC vs Black Rhinos FC Sakubva Stadium 1500hrs
Sunday May 23
Ngezi Platinum Stars FC vs Triangle United FC Mandava Stadium 1100hrs
Harare City FC vs ZPC Kariba FC National Sports Stadium 1100hrs
Bulawayo Chiefs FC vs Highlanders FC Barbourfields Stadium 1300hrs
Herentals FC vs Dynamos FC National Sports Stadium 1500hrs
Manica Diamonds FC vs Cranborne Bullets FC Sakubva Stadium 1500hrs
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