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Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Harare
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn provided the bulk of the players to the 2015 Soccer Stars list with four of the championship winning players being voted among the country’s best 11 players. The selection ceremony took place in Harare yesterday. The Gamecocks provided Soccer Star of the Year favourite Danny “Deco” Phiri, hitman Edmore Chirambadare, goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze and star midfielder Clemence Matawu.

Golden Boot winner Knox Mutizwa of Highlanders also made it onto the calendar as did Triangle United’s Hillary Bakacheza. Former champions Dynamos chipped in with two players, goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva and left back Ocean Mushure.

“It’s just an amazing achievement. The boys that made it onto the calendar thoroughly deserved it and I hope we’ll cap it all by providing the soccer star,” said Chicken Inn coach Joe Antipas, himself a leading candidate for the Coach of the Year.

The soccer star of the year, the coach of the year, the goalkeeper of the year and the referee of the year will all be unveiled at a banquet set for Harare on Friday. ZPC Kariba’s Dennis Dauda is the outgoing soccer star of the year.

A total of 59 panellists, made up of 16 coaches and their captains and members of the media did the selection in Harare yesterday. There were 17 players who were ineligible for selection after picking up more than six yellow cards or two red cards.

Chapungu’s Blessing Zabuka is the only player who was ruled out due to two red cards while Highlanders’ Nqobizitha Masuku picked up seven yellow cards. The panellists also voted for the goalkeeper of the year as well as the best Under-20 player with DeMbare’s Mukuruva a clear favourite.