Manager Stanford Mutizwa Arena/Stadium Rufaro Stadium | Founded 1983 | |
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Full name Black Rhinos Football Club Nickname(s) Chipembere, Chadya Mukonde Ground 1 Commando Battalion Football Field
Harare, Zimbabwe Leagues Zimbabwe Division 1, Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League | ||
Black Rhinos Football Club is a Zimbabwean football club based in Harare. They currently play in Zimbabwe Division 1, the second level of Zimbabwean Football, having been relegated from the Premier Soccer League in the 2014 season. Their home stadium is the 1 Commando Battalion Football Field.
Contents
History
Black Rhinos were founded in 1983 after splitting from Highlanders. In 1983, the club won promotion into the top division after losing just once in the entire Northern Region Division One season. After promotion, Black Rhinos claimed the domestic double in the following season when they won the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League and Cup of Zimbabwe double in 1984. The previous season's success saw Black Rhinos enter continental competition for the first time in 1985 when they participated in the African Cup of Champions Clubs. Despite beating Mbabane Highlanders and Power Dynamos they went onto lose 2–3 on aggregate to Gorée. 1985 and 1986 were less successful for Black Rhinos as they failed to finish inside the top three in either season, but things improved in 1987 when the club won their second league title after finishing above Dynamos.
That saw a return of African Cup of Champions Clubs football but their stay in the competition was short as they were eliminated by Mauritian club Sunrise Flacq United in round one. Since 1987, Black Rhinos have faded in Zimbabwean football but have finished second place on two occasions, in 1991 and 2002 with the latter gaining the club entry into the 2003 CAF Cup. Just like their debut in the African Cup of Champions Clubs, Black Rhinos reached the quarter-final stage. Wins over Maxaquene and Kiyovu Sports saw them start brightly but they were then knocked out by eventual winners Raja Casablanca.
Black Rhinos were relegated from the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League in 2014.
Domestic
Performance in CAF competitions
Continental record
Black Rhinos' debut in continental competition came in the 1985 African Cup of Champions Clubs with matches against Mbabane Highlanders of Swaziland. They won and subsequently beat Power Dynamos in round two before falling to defeat against Gorée in the quarter-finals.