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Elvis Chipezeze

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
CHICKEN Inn goalkeeper and 2017 Soccer Stars of the Year surprise exclusion Elvis Chipezeze kept an incredible 19 clean sheets in the just ended Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and missed just three games.

Chipezeze’s stunning record is followed by Dynamos’ Tonderai Mateyaunga, who kept 14 clean sheets, while the FC Platinum duo of Petros Mhari, the 2016 Goalkeeper of the Year, and Wallace Magalane kept 13 and 10 clean sheets respectively.

Chipezeze missed his side’s first two opening matches of the season against Bantu Rovers, which they won 5-0, and the 1-2 loss to Bulawayo City in the second game. He missed the third match against Harare City through suspension.

A number of analysts and football fans have roundly condemned the 2017 selection process, which has gone down in history as the first time a goalkeeper has failed to make it onto the final 11 list.

The selection event, attended by 13 coaches, 16 captains and representatives of various media houses in the country, was held in Harare on Tuesday.

Fives coaches, Dynamos’ Lloyd Mutasa, Erol Akbay of Highlanders, Kelvin Kaindu of How Mine, Methembe Ndlovu of Bantu Rovers and Rahman Gumbo of Chicken Inn, did not attend the selection process, while the Bantu Rovers and Highlanders’ captains were also absent.

“I am very disappointed with the selectors; you mean no goalkeeper deserved to be among the finalists? Chipezeze did well and deserved to be on that list,” said Chenjerai Dube, the Hwange goalkeepers’ coach.

Dube is one of the three goalkeepers alongside Tapuwa Kapini of Highlanders and Gift Muzadzi of Dynamos who made it into the 2001 Soccer Stars of the Year finalists.

@skhumoyo2000