By McGeorge
WEST Nicholson will travel to Phelandaba Stadium on Saturday, August 5, to face rivals Gwanda Pirates in the quarter final of the inaugural Dream Inn Super 8 tournament.
Both teams qualified for the competition after finishing among the top eight performers in the Central Region Soccer League.
The much anticipated Gwanda derby between Gwanda Pirates and West Nicholson has developed into one of the most entertaining derbies in Matabeleland South.
Based on their 2026 head to head league results, Gwanda Pirates hold the advantage over their rivals, having defeated West Nicholson both home and away.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming match, West Nicholson coach Ofhani Muleya described the encounter as a big game for both the supporters and players.
“It is a big one for the supporters and players, considering that we have lost twice to Gwanda Pirates this season, in both the first and second rounds of the league. However, this is a cup match, so our approach will be different from what we normally do in the league,” Muleya said.
Muleya said that his team has learned from their previous defeats to Gwanda Pirates and will use those experiences as motivation as they look to cause an upset and book their place in the next round.
The West Nicholson coach also said that playing away from home against Pirates in a derby has always been a major challenge, but insisted that his team is prepared to face the odds.
“Our biggest challenge in this derby is always playing away from home. A derby is complicated and such games require a lot of character from our players. However, we are prepared for the match and hope to give our fans thrilling football,” Muleya said.
The two teams are among the top five contenders in the league and will be eager to secure silverware in the inaugural Dream Inn Super 8 tournament while also creating history.