Ticha taunts Chibuku Super Cup opponents
ONE of Mutare’s enduring football figure – Ticharambana Zikai – who has worked with three different teams in a football club management career spanning more than a decade, believes Manica Diamonds has what it takes to fight its way to the finals of the 2022 Chibuku Super Cup competition.
The 2022 edition of the domestic football cup competition gets underway at different venues across the country.
A passionate administrator turned technical manager, Zikai has been around since the days of the now defunct Eastern Lions FC where he was part of the clubs’executive committee which was led by Francis Mabika before he joined army side, Buffaloes.
The unassuming true friend of the game of football is the current Manica Diamonds team manager.
Mkoma Ticha, as he is fondly referred to by many of those who are touched by his unmatched humility, was part of the ambitious Eastern Lions project bankrolled by Mutare businessman, Lazarus Mungwari and came within 90 minutes of being crowned 2011 CBZ Cup champions, but eventually lost to CAPS United in the finals played at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
The former Eastern Lions and Buffaloes committee member is convinced that his new team is in good shape to go all the way to the finals of the Chibuku Super Cup.
He reckons the job starts with a win against Yadah Stars on Sunday at Vengere Stadium in Rusape.
“We have to win this match at all costs. Even though we played Yadah twice and we drew both matches, this time we have to come up with a winning formula. They (Yadah Stars FC) are a good side, but we just have to win it.
“As a team, I think we have what it takes to go all the way to the finals of the competition. We have been playing well in the league and the good thing is that the competition has started at a time we have upped up the tempo in our camp,”he said.
Cross-town rivals, Tenax C.S FC head coach, Isaac ‘Zeka’ Nengomasha, whose team will be entertaining league champions FC Platinum, is confident that they can cause a major upset to one of the tournament’s favourites.
“We also want to use the competition to assess our depth and also have time to rest players who had had more minutes on the field. We will also be using some of the players we signed during the transfer window. Depth will be critical this particular time of the season, given that the battle to survive relegation intensifies. We will field a competitive side capable of getting a result in Zvishavane.
“The target is to win this first round match against one of the teams tipped to lift the cup. Every tournament is full of surprises and it is every coach’s dream to win a silverware with his club and myself I am not an exception,” said Nengomasha.
Chibuku Super Cup Fixtures:
Saturday: Chicken inn v Harare City (Luveve); FC Platinum v Tenax C.S FC (Mandava); Black Rhinos v CAPS United (Vengere Stadium); Ngezi Platinum v Herentals (Baobab Stadium):
Sunday: Bulawayo Chiefs v ZPC Kariba (Luveve); Manica Diamonds FC v Yadah Stars (Vengere Stadium); Dynamos v Whawha C.S FC (National Sport Stadium); Triangle United v Highlanders (Gibbo Stadium)
All matches start at 3pm.