‘Dhalala’ finds new home at Inno Cosmos

Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter

AFTER having been unceremoniously pushed out of Castle Lager Premier Soccer League debutants GreenFuel where he was one of the assistant coaches, former Black Aces, Dynamos and CAPS United stylish midfielder Albert “Dhalala” Mabika has joined ambitious Mabvuku-based ZIFA Northern Region Second Division side Inno Cosmos as their technical director.

Mabika was the second assistant at the Chisumbanje-based team GreenFuel when they were playing in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One Soccer League last season, deputising head coach Lloyd “Samaita’’ Mutasa and first assistant Joseph “Shabba’’ Takaringofa.

However, upon their promotion into the Premiership, Mabika, together with Takaringofa and over 20 players, were shown the exit door.

Takaringofa and five other players have since joined Harare City in the ZIFA Northern Region Division One League.

And Mabika has also found a new home within his hood, Mabvuku.

The vastly-experienced former Black Aces, Dynamos and CAPS United player will be hoping to help the club — Inno Cosmos — win promotion into the First Division this season.

The ZIFA Northern Region Second Division season kicks-off this Saturday with Inno Cosmos, which is owned by another former footballer Innocent Mugabe, will be travelling to Mufakose Alliance.

The Richard Chobundo-coached charges are in their second season in this division and they will be out to flex their muscles by winning promotion.

UK-based Mugabe, who recently met Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, at the Zimbabwean Embassy in London, said his team should cap their 10th anniversary with promotion into Division One.

“Having done well in the opening half of the season last term, Inno Cosmos found the last eight games a tough hurdle. We ultimately finished seventh but we gained lots of experience in our maiden league participation. 

“We are hoping to celebrate our 10th anniversary with a promotion ticket,” said Mugabe, a former CAPS United and Air Zimbabwe Jets striker.

He said he had a fruitful discussion with Coventry during her recent visit to the UK.

“We had a very positive discussion with the Minister. We are hoping to see lots of changes in the football circles. I hope my input will be valuable, especially for grassroots football. Most of our players are graduates from our academy, BJM, so I am passionate about securing a future for the sport. We had a huge pot of talent to choose from.

“And we have maintained our established core squad from last season whilst introducing some exciting new players to the team — we are hoping to challenge for honours again this season.”

One of the club’s top players Munashe Dinyero, who is son to the 1989 Soccer Star of the Year Masimba Dinyero, believes the team has what it takes to win promotion.

“Our director (Innocent) Mugabe managed to arrange for most of us to train with Premier League teams in preparation for this season. He secured us places at CAPS United, Dynamos and Cranborne Bullets during the pre-season so we feel stronger and better prepared,” said Dinyero.

Inno Cosmos can look up to some of their star players including Vhukani Ngwenya, David Lunga, Dinyero, Lenox Mupandaguta, Munashe Nhema and Prince Mhlanga for inspiration.

The team enjoys a large following at their base in Harare’s high-density suburb of Mabvuku, which is the home of another ambitious lower division side Ali Sundowns, who are owned by prominent Harare banker, Desmund Ali.

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