By McGeorge Mbare
Beitbridge-Never Malunga ‘s Dulibadzimu United suffered a record breaking humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands FC Platinum U19 on Sunday afternoon, a result that exacerbates the Beitbridge based outfit’s slide in the Central Region Soccer League.
Fans are frustrated and rightfully so as Dulibadzimu has become a pale shadow of the team that the whole league was talking about in the first half of the season. It had become the team to beat but now they are at risk of finishing outside of the top four.
The humiliating loss at the hands of the Platinum miners means Never Malunga has broken another record, his own record too of the biggest loss suffered by the team which was a 4-0 drubbing, and this time his charges have gone a notch higher with the loss.
Coach Malunga has been struggling to maintain Dulis’ winning mentality since taking over from former coach Stanley Ncube. Malunga took over the team whilst it was on top of the Central Region Soccer League but has presided over a series of defeats that has left fans upset.
Until Malunga took over, the team had never lost a game by 4 goals and so far they have suffered that humiliation twice.
Fans have started to question Malunga’s coaching abilities since joining the team. Reports from the Dulis camp indicate Malunga has lost the dressing room. Some players allegedly feign injuries when the team goes to away matches opting to go and play social soccer money games.
The Dulis camp is seemingly in disarray and hopes of at least a top 4 finish are fast dissipating given the team’s current form. While Coach Never Malunga is an easy target for the poor result (s), the situation points to a much bigger problem within the structure of the team that were seemingly peppered by the charisma and appeal of the Malunga’s predecessor.
It is no secret Dulis is facing financial challenges that has seen the players being poorly remunerated which has disoriented the moral of the squad. This has seen senior players turning to the better paying social leagues at the expense of the team they are contracted to.
Whilst those baying for Malunga’s blood question the technical coaching staff’s competency accusing it of failing to use players effectively, it is a fact the coach and his team are grappling with bigger problems that can only be addressed by the powers that be at Dulibadzimu United, the community deserve to know the real situation obtaining on the ground.
Here are full results and the latest log standings
