Noel Munzabwa
FORMER Manzini Wanderers defender Takawira Chimwanda has resurfaced in the MTN Premier League of Eswatini from a season’s “sabbatical” albeit as a Moneni Pirates player, making him only the second Zimbabwe-born player after Malanti Chiefs’ Ayanda Ncube.
Known for his steely defence at Wanderers, he played out a full 90 minutes at the weekend as Moneni Pirates beat Takesure Chiragwi-coached Mhlume Peacemakers 1-0 to move into fourth position on the log standings on 17 points five behind log leaders Young Buffaloes.
Then highly rated Chimwanda first arrived in Eswatini in 2014 lasting three-and-a-half seasons before fizzling out of the scene quietly only to resurface at now highly organised and best dressed Moneni Pirates who seem to have turned the corner for the better this season.
And the positive results are a perfect testimony to a professional set up at the club which unveiled a mega shirt endorsement deal last month.
Meanwhile, for Mhlume Peacemakers, the result pushed the Chiragwi-coached side down to third from the basement with seven points, just one above the drop zone, with just over a third of the season played but the Zimbabwe mentor told the local media his lads were going to survive relegation.
“We have lost a couple of games this season but this doesn’t mean we can start worrying about relegation. We will not get relegated this season and that is all that matters,” Chiragwi told local media after the defeat.
Last season, Peacemakers then playing as Matsapha United, spent the first half of the season as log anchors before the miraculous escape in the second half of the season.
Relegation still heavily haunts Ncube’s Malanti Chiefs who lost their eighth match of the season 0-1 to Denver Sundowns on Friday night.
Elsewhere, the Tarisai Changara-coached Tambuti FC held high riding Royal Leopard to a 1-1 draw picking a vital point which moved them to eighth position with 11 points.
Action continues this weekend.
