GreenFuel stadium nears completion
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League newcomers Green Fuel could start hosting their home matches at their Green Fuel Sports Arena as renovations at the venue are almost complete.
The Chisumbanje team who were promoted from the ZIFA Northern Region Division One League last season are currently entertaining visitors about 80 kilometres away from their base at Gibbo in Chiredzi.
They took the decision to allow upgrade work at the Green Fuel Arena after it became clear the facility wouldn’t meet the minimum required standards for the top-flight.
With guidance from the grounds compliance watchdog — the ZIFA First Instance Body — the Lowveld team undertook to renovate their stadium. And work has been going with speed and the upgrade works are now almost 97 percent complete.
When The Herald Sports visited the venue last week, experts were busy putting final touches on the changing rooms-one of the major areas which had been flagged by inspectors.
The playing field has been evened with major works also having been done on the stands. The FIB is expected to re-inspect the venue in four weeks’ time.
Green Fuel chairman Fredson Moyo said the whole community is looking forward to having Premiership football at the Green Fuel Arena.
“Right now we are playing our home games at Gibbo Stadium. Most of our fans cannot travel to watch us in action.
“That means we are not enjoying the full benefits of being at home. So it is our hope that in a few weeks’ time Green Fuel Arena will be cleared. That will make it very difficult for opponents playing here,” said Moyo.
“We dominated in the Eastern Region Division One last year due to a solid home record. The stadium was always filled to capacity with fans making everything enjoyable.
“We would like to see that environment in the top-flight.
“So far, we have worked on the pitch, the drainage system, terraces including the VIP closure and media areas with changing rooms nearing completion.
“We are also working on the perimeter wall where we are already putting final touches.
“Basically, we have done about 97 percent of the work and we are running around to polish up the remainder before the inspectors’ revisit.
“It is our hope that by the time they will visit we will be given the greenlight to host top-flight action”.
After starting the season on a disappointing note, the club appear to have struck just the right chords.
They have changed coaches twice with Lloyd Mutasa who presided over the first match replaced by Bekithemba Ndlovu.
The latter was disappointing and lasted just five weeks before he was succeeded by Rodwell Dhlakama.
And Dhlakama has already collected four points from two matches helping Green Fuel move from the basement to 16th on the log with six points after eight matches.
They are only four points adrift of 10th placed Herentals.
And they will climb up the ladder with a win over Cranborne Bullets at the National Sports Stadium on Friday.
Fixtures:
Today: Black Rhinos v Ngezi Platinum Stars ( Friday: Cranborne Bullets v GreenFuel ( NSS) Saturday: Herentals v Dynamos ( NSS), Bulawayo Chiefs v Sheasham (Luveve), Manica Diamonds v Chicken Inn (Gibbo)
CAPS United v Hwange ( NSS), Triangle v Yadah (Gibbo), Highlanders v Simba Bhora ( Barbourfields), Ngezi Platinum Stars v FC Platinum (Baobab)
Monday: ZPC Kariba v Black Rhinos ( NSS)