Shabanie Mine set to bounce back

FORMER Premier Soccer League side Shabanie Mine will make an emotional comeback into the rebranded Runyararo Funeral Services ZIFA Central Region Division One Soccer League for the 2023 season.

The team will make a comeback after missing out in the previous championship race after they failed to pay their affiliation fees on time. The Chinda Boys were relegated from the top-flight in 2018 and were supposed to play their second campaign in the second tier league last year after a twoyear Covid-19-induced break.

Shabanie, who have in the past produced some fine players such Francis Chandida, Isaac Riyano, Asani Juma, Zvenyika Makonese, Max Ruza and the late Thomas Makwasha, among several others, have been having financial struggles.

The Zvishavane-based side withdrew from the league after failing to pay the mandatory affiliation fees on time but have since confirmed their readiness for the challenge this year.

Shabanie Mine chairman, Elias Marufu, yesterday confirmed their intention to bounce back in the league and they are ready for the challenge.

“We are happy to be back in the league because it was so frustrating being on the sidelines.

“Moreso, as Shabanie Mine, we are a big brand in the country and we are short-changing our fans because they want us to be competing with the top teams in the country.

“We are looking foward to a competitive season this year because there are a lot of good teams in the league. But as Shabanie Mine, we believe we are the big boys and that should be seen by our performance on the field of play,” Marufu said.

Chinda Boys could, however, find themselves playing in the third-tier league following ZIFA’s attempts to form a National League this year.

The National League, which will feed the Castle Lager Premiership, will be made up of top four teams from the four regions — Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern — and the four relegated from the top-flight.

The existing regional leagues will continue as third-tier leagues, feeding the National League in a promotion-relegation system.