Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIMBA Bhora coach Joel Luphahla has warned competitors in the championship race that they have to step up their game if they entertain aspirations of wrestling the championship from his side.
The Shamva side currently leads the race for this year’s honours with 47 points following the 1-0 win over Chicken Inn at Wadzanayi at the weekend. Midfielder Junior Makunike scored the solitary goal of the match.
They sit just one point above nearest challengers Scottland, who demolished fellow contenders FC Platinum 5-2 away at Mandava on Saturday to stoke the pressure in the marathon.
Luphahla however feels his team is geared to fight all the way to the finish line in the remaining 10 games of the season and rekindle the title glory in Mashonaland Central province.
“We are the defending champions. I said earlier this week that if anybody is going to take this, they would have played better than us,” he said.
“They have to play better than us. They have to work for it. We cannot give anything away. We are the defending champions. We are on top. We need to try, and the good thing now is that when we win the games are subtracting. So, we need to continue working very hard.
“It’s not going to be easy, but we’ve got a good team that can compete and I’m very confident with my boys that at the end of the day, we are going to give what we think we can give. But like I said, it’s not easy.
“We are under pressure sometimes, but I hope that the pressure will spare us all,” said Luphahla.
Simba Bhora face pressure from different angles as teams in the top four all still have realistic chances of winning the league race. Their campaign was boosted by the setbacks faced by third-placed MWOS, who lost to Dynamos and FC Platinum’s home defeat to Scottland.
But, on 40 points, the platinum miners are still within striking distance; so is Lloyd Mutasa’s MWOS on 42 points.
Free-spending Scottland are their biggest threat after the Mabvuku side went out of their way during the just-ended player transfer window to bring players such as Malawian Khuda Myaba and Moses Shidolo from Namibia.
They also captured ex-Highlanders and Young Warriors sensation Mafious Chihweta, Warriors striker Terrence Dzvukamanja and national team skipper Knowledge Musona, who was easily the club’s marquee signing.