Are Gem Boys the PSL late bloomers?
MUTARE-BASED Castle Lager Premiership outfit — Manica Diamonds — had a slow start to the season last year, and with only two rounds of league matches played this year, the script looks the same.
When the 2024 season got underway, expectations among fans and neutrals alike were that Manica Diamonds will blaze a trail from the first match of the season, having ended last season as runners-up.
In their first five matches of the season last year, the Gem Boys lost 0-2 to Caps United, before settling for a goalless draw against Triangle in the second match of the season.
The Mutare diamond miners went on to settle for a one-all stalemate with Herentals College. Their resurgence kicked off with a 2-1 win over the then new boys, GreenFuel, but it was not long before the Jairos Taperacoached side suffered another defeat at the hands of Ngezi Platinum by a solitary goal.
However, Tapera eventually found the true winning formula with a three-nil drubbing of a hapless ZPC Kariba.
From there on, Manica Diamonds became the team to beat in the Castle Lager Premiership last season.
This year, Tapera has agonisingly watched his team being on the receiving end twice in as many rounds of league matches.
First it was a humbling 2-3 defeat before their home fans at Sakubva Stadium a fortnight ago, before the Gem Boys suffered a humiliating 1-3 defeat against TelOne at Bata Stadium in Gweru last Saturday.
In fact, last Saturday at Bata Stadium, TelOne FC piled more misery on Manica Diamonds as the WiFi boys dominated proceedings from the onset against a visibly disjointed Gem Boys. Polyester Shoko, Blessing Sibanda and Frackson Bushiri were on target for the Gweru-based side, while Fortune Binzi’s spectacular goal proved not enough for the Gem Boys. And Tapera acknowledged that the first two matches were not easy assignments for his team.
For the former Young Warriors gaffer, all hope is not lost, and the fact that they are losing, but still scoring goals is enough basis to envisage a brighter future this season.
“Our first season opening two matches were very difficult for us as a team. We are not playing badly, but the unfortunate part is that every mistake we make defensively ends in a goal.
“The positive side is that we are also scoring goals. It gives us courage to work more on defending, hoping things will eventually come right,” said Tapera.
He said fans will naturally have big expectations, given their performance last season.
“It is very understandable for fans and analysts to demand more from us, given our performance last season. That made them believe we are the same team today and tomorrow. We are working tirelessly to improve our performance going forward,” he said.
As the 2024 season Castle Lager Premiership season unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Manica Diamonds are indeed etching their own status as late bloomers year-in year-out!