United Lions Chairman,Lieutenant Colonel Lovemore Dominic Nolwazi Jiyane
Shelon Mudhara
MASVINGO – Headquarters 4 Infantry Brigade-based United Lions Football Club will participate in the Eastern Region Division One league this season.
The team has already done all its ground work to ensure they make their mark.
Well known by its popularity in the domestic soccer circles since the early 1980s, United Lions is a team formed by members of the Brigade Headquarters and its units namely 41 Combat Group, 42 Infantry Battalion, 43 Reserve Force Battalion. The team also includes some few civilians.
Their ambition is to gain promotion up to the country’s elite league to match their counterparts such as Black Rhinos and Chapungu Football clubs.
Speaking to the ZNA magazine reporter, team chairperson Lieutenant Colonel Lovemore Dominic Nolwazi Jiyane who is also the Commanding Officer 41 Combat Group has promised fireworks in Division One.
“In Division Two, we were the best team so we want to maintain that and I can confirm that we are here to stay. We are going to take each game seriously. We are in Division One to enjoy ourselves and learn but we are also very focused. We will try as much as possible to play our best football and hope that at the end of the season we will be in the Premier League,” said Lt Col Jiyane.
Lt Col Jiyane also urged the community and the business people of Masvingo to support the team as the club does not only belong to soldiers but to all soccer loving fans in the province.
“I want to challenge every citizen especially the business community to come on board in far as the development of soccer is concerned as our aim is to bring premiership matches to Masvingo,” he said.
There has not been any premiership team in Masvingo city since the relegation of Masvingo United in 2011 with United Lions being a probable solution to the city’s premiership drought.sport
