Bantu Rovers
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
SOUTHERN Region Division One League leaders Bantu Rovers will seek to maintain their seven-point lead when they take on tricky ZRP Bulawayo at Luveve Stadium on Sunday.
The former Premier Soccer League side sits at the top of the table with 40 points from 16 games and appears to be in control of their championship destiny.
After bowing out of the Raj Modi-sponsored John Landa Nkomo Top 8 Tournament following a 1-2 loss to Bulawayo Chiefs, Rovers, who rested their entire squad for the cup game and fielded a youthful side, are confident of beating ZRP Bulawayo.
On paper, ZRP Bulawayo have a strong squad with a number of players with Premiership experience.
They have skipper Patrick Mpofu, ex-Highlanders and How Mine midfielder Louis Matawu, Benboy Chinyanga and Kelvin Sibanda, among other players.
Rovers’ hopes rest on veterans Zephaniah Ngodzo and Lindelani Vice Ncube, as well as Young Warriors’ striker Bukhosi Sibanda, Gladman Bharibhari and Denzel Khumalo.
A defeat for Rovers could see second-placed Amagagasi closing in on the table toppers in the event that they beat Makomo in Hwange tomorrow.
Makomo are no pushovers and Amagagasi should expect a tough encounter against the coalmining town club coached by Tapela Ngwenya.
Another game that promises to be a thriller is the Bulawayo Chiefs-Indlovu Iyanyathela clash set for Luveve on Sunday.
Chiefs are championship dark horses and although they claim to be out of the title race, they pose a threat to other teams and will want to keep up with the leading pack.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Makomo v Amagagasi (Hwange), Casmyn v ZRP Hwange (Turk Mine), Talen Vision v Hwange Juniors (White City, 12PM), ZPC Hwange v Black Boots (Hwange)
Sunday: Bulawayo Chiefs v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Luveve), Ntabazinduna v Technosphere (Ntabazinduna, 1PM), Bantu Rovers v ZRP Bulawayo Province (Luveve, 12PM), Victoria Falls Tigers v Bosso 90 (Victoria Falls)
All matches start at 3pm unless indicated
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Bantu Rovers 16 13 1 2 29 4 25 40
Amagagasi 15 10 3 2 22 7 15 33
Bulawayo Chiefs 16 9 5 2 23 8 15 32
ZPC Hwange 16 8 7 1 15 6 9 31
Victoria Falls Tigers 16 7 3 6 16 15 1 24
Technosphere 16 6 6 4 10 11 -1 24
Black Boots 15 6 4 5 19 13 6 22
ZRP Bulawayo 15 5 4 6 13 13 0 19
Talen Vision 16 5 4 7 14 19 -5 19
Bosso90 16 4 5 7 16 20 -4 17
Casmyn 16 3 6 7 12 16 -4 15
Hwange Juniors 16 3 5 7 7 14 -7 15
Ntabazinduna 16 3 6 7 7 20 -13 15
Makomo 16 3 5 8 8 14 -6 14
Indlovu Iyanyathela 16 4 2 10 8 21 -13 14
ZRP Hwange 15 2 3 10 10 28 -18 9
@ZililoR.