MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU-TelOne FC head coach Herbert Maruwa (pictured) has set his sights on a crucial victory over Chicken Inn when the two sides clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter at Ascot Stadium on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of the encounter with the Bulawayo based side, Maruwa said the WiFi Boys are ready to turn the corner after a slow start to the 2026 campaign and insists his charges are primed to collect their first win of the season.
“The team is training well and ready for the Chicken Inn game. We are moving in a good direction and ready to compete. We are going to win starting with Chicken Inn,” said Maruwa.
TelOne are still searching for their first victory of the season and currently sit in the lower half of the table after a string of draws and defeats in the opening rounds.
The Gweru-based outfit occupies 15th position on the log standings with only a handful of points, underlining the urgency for a positive result in front of their home supporters.
The WiFi Boys head into the match smarting from a narrow 3–2 defeat to defending champions Scottland FC, a contest Maruwa believes slipped away due to defensive lapses in concentration.
However, TelOne managed to steady the ship with a goalless draw against ZPC Kariba earlier this week, a result that offered some relief as the side looks to rebuild confidence.
Saturday’s clash is expected to be a tightly contested affair given the closely fought history between the two sides.
Previous meetings between TelOne and Chicken Inn have often produced cagey encounters, with several matches ending in stalemates.
Chicken Inn currently hold a slight edge in the head-to-head record with two victories, while TelOne are yet to register a win in recent meetings.
One of the most memorable clashes came in 2024 when TelOne stunned the Gamecocks with a 1–0 victory in Bulawayo, a result that underlined the WiFi Boys’ ability to upset more fancied opponents.
Chicken Inn, who lifted the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League title in 2015, remain one of the league’s seasoned sides, renowned for their disciplined defensive structure and dangerous counter attacking play.
Last season the Bulawayo outfit silenced the Ascot crowd after securing a crucial 2–1 victory over TelOne at the same venue.
But Maruwa believes Ascot Stadium could provide the perfect platform for TelOne to finally ignite their campaign.
“We just need to maintain concentration for the full 90 minutes. If we do that, the result will come,” he said.
The match is expected to draw significant attention from Gweru football fans eager to see whether the WiFi Boys can finally translate their improving performances into maximum points.
