Fungai Muderere
FORMER Highlanders gaffer, Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu says he is still finding his feet in Botswana where he coaches premier league side Masitaoka.
At Masitaoka, Mpofu has been in charge of four games. He has so far amassed the most points among the Zimbabwean coaches in the Botswana Premiership, bagging six points from a possible 12. His side is on position six.
“It’s early days yet, I’m still finding my footing. I am adjusting so well to the demands of the Botswana Premiership. My main aim in my debut season is to avoid relegation. I have a very young squad which I believe will survive the chop,” said Mpofu in a telephone interview from Gaborone.
In their next assignment, Masitaoka play host to Police XI, while Rahman Gumbo’s Sua Flamingoes will be hoping to get it right at home to Security Systems.
Philani “Beefy” Ncube’s Nico United will entertain Mogoditshane Fighters.
Ncube’s three-match unbeaten run in the Botswana Premier Soccer League went up in flames as he suffered his first defeat of the season as Nico United went down 3-0 to leaders Township Rollers in the past weekend.
Ncube, who is also in his debut season in Botswana started off his campaign with 1-0 win against Sua Flamingoes, a result that was followed by identical 0-0 draws with BBDDF XI and Prisons XI.
Sunday’s defeat to the table toppers saw Nico United slipping a place down the ladder to position nine with five points from four games.
Ncube’s side trail league pacesetters Township Rollers by five points. Gumbo’s Sua Flamingoes, who registered their first win of the season a fortnight ago when they edged Morupule Wanderers 1-0, suffered their third defeat of the season past Sunday as they lost 1-0 to Prisons XI.
The defeat left Sua Flamingoes a place above relegation on position 13 with three points. It might be early into the season, but Gumbo’s side needs to quickly turn around their fortunes and get their campaign on track. Mpofu’s Masitaoka bounced back to winning ways, recovering from their 1-0 defeat they suffered to Eleven Angels a fortnight ago as they beat Holy Ghost 2-0.
