By Delicious Mathuthu
Gweru, Zimbabwe – Simba Bhora head coach Joel Luphahla has lauded his players’ mentality and resilience following a dramatic 2-1 away win over Kwekwe United on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, a result that keeps the reigning Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions firmly in the title race.
Speaking after the tense encounter at Bata Stadium, Luphahla acknowledged the strength of the opponents, Kwekwe United, and the pressure his side continues to carry as defending champions.
“When we came here, we knew what we were facing,” said Luphahla, adding that “People don’t give Kwekwe United enough credit. They play good football. Just look at how they performed against Dynamos. You would have thought they were the home team.”
It was a hard-earned victory for Simba Bhora, sealed in the final minute of regulation time by Trevor Mavhunga’s decisive goal.
The result followed a match where the visitors had taken the lead through a Never Tigere free kick, only to be pegged back by a spectacular long-range strike from Kwekwe’s Mbongeni Minezhi.
“We were prepared mentally. We told ourselves we would go for 95 minutes, no matter the result.
“And that’s what the boys did. I just want to say well done to them,” Luphahla said.
The coach acknowledged his side’s missed opportunities in the first half, attributing them in part to player fatigue amid a congested fixture schedule.
“It’s a game we could have won easily. We wasted a lot of chances early on, maybe it’s fatigue that’s starting to creep in. It’s difficult because there’s no easy game in this league,” he said.
Simba Bhora’s recent run of fixtures has been challenging, and Luphahla is navigating a delicate balancing act, integrating 13 new players into a squad that’s expected to compete at the highest level each week.
“Bringing in 13 players is never easy, it takes time to form a team but I’m glad the boys are slowly coming together. It’s work in progress,” he said.
Despite the win, Luphahla was not entirely pleased with the performance, particularly the goal conceded.
“I’m disappointed we conceded. I’m one coach who doesn’t like to concede. But credit to the strike, it was a good hit. You can’t take anything away from that,” he said.
Looking ahead, Luphahla stressed the importance of the next few matches as Simba Bhora prepares to face Greenfuel FC before a much-anticipated clash against debutants, Scottland FC.
“After Greenfuel, we’ve got one of the biggest games coming. These next two matches are about preparing ourselves properly. It’s five games unbeaten now, which is good after the pressure we had from losing to Dynamos. The boys have responded well,” he said.
The former Warriors winger was candid about the weight of expectation that comes with leading the champions.
“It’s never easy being the coach of the champions. I knew it was pressure when I took the job. Draw or lose, it’s not good enough here. We have to win, always.
“Even last week, after we drew with MWOS, fans looked happy, but deep down they’re not because we’re the champions, and we must play like champions,” Luphahla said.
Meanwhile, Kwekwe United coach, Saul Chaminuka, expressed disappointment with the manner of the defeat, suggesting that the game was characterised by bad decisions.
“It’s very unfortunate. Sometimes you feel like other people decide who should win. We work hard with our players, we invest energy and time, and then lose like this, it’s not fair,” he said.
