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Fungai Muderere, [email protected]

THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Match Day Two matches played over the past weekend produced a total of 17 goals, to take the season’s goal tally to 35 so far.

A total of 16 games instead of 18 have been played so far courtesy of a Zifa Eastern Region Division One promotion saga which, however, finally ended last Friday when Tenax accepted boardroom defeat and resolved to focus on attempting to win the championship in this season.

Last week, the Eastern Regional League re-awarded the controversial match between Grayham and Bikita Minerals to the latter on a 3-0 score line. 

As a result, the miners finished on top of the 2023 Eastern Region log standings ahead of former Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Tenax. 

Bikita Minerals are now due to take on Herentals and Yadah Stars in their Week One and Week Two fixtures respectively that were shelved to allow the resolution of their promotion matter.

In the opening week of the 2024 PSL action, 18 goals were scored. 

In the Week Two fixtures programme, seven home goals were scored by Dynamos, Simba Bhora, TelOne and Bulawayo Chiefs, while four matches (Chicken Inn 0-0 Arenel Movers, Dynamos 2-2 Hwange Simba Bhora 1-1 Greenfuel, Bulawayo Chiefs 1-1 Highlanders) ended in stalemates.

FC Platinum, Caps United and ZPC Kariba managed to post away wins after accounting for Ngezi Platinum Stars, Herentals and Chegutu Pirates respectively.

Chicken Inn, Herentals, Ngezi Platinum and new boys Chegutu Pirates failed to score at home. TelOne were the biggest scorers of the weekend, thumping last season’s runners up Manica Diamonds 3-1. 

Caps United head coach, Lloyd Chitembwe was the first to get a red card this season when his side played against Herentals at Kariba’s Nyamhunga Stadium.

He told Zimpapers Sports Hub he was a victim of abuse and pleaded with authorities to take corrective measures by identifying the abusive fans and meting out matching punishment. 

A short video clip of the mayhem has been circulating on social media.

“It’s sad. I don’t want to lie. I’m a football coach, I’m doing my job and get insults and abuse, why? Of course, I got a red card and I was walking back to the dressing room when someone started shouting insults at me and threatened to beat me up. For what? If I may ask, just because they are fans, do they have the right to insult and threaten officials as they wish,” said Chitembwe.

Champions Ngezi Platinum, Yadah Stars, Herentals, new boys Arenel Movers and Chegutu Pirates are yet to find the back of the net.

This is a development that has worried Arenel Movers head coach Farai Tawarechera.

“We make the mistake of failing to join our top men with our attacking midfielders. I’m worried about our conversion rate,” said Tawarechera.

Interestingly, the Sweet Boys are yet to concede a goal alongside log leaders FC Platinum and Chicken Inn. “We will keep on pushing for goals. It has been a great start for us, but we will need to keep on working hard. There is no time to relax and in our team, no one is assured of a starting place. Everyone has to fight,” said Gamecocks assistant coach Fungai Kwashi. 

Pure Platinum Play sit on the apex of the log standings with six points as the only side yet to drop points.

TelOne, Simba Bhora, Greenfuel, Highlanders, Hwange, ZPC Kariba and Chicken Inn are two points adrift.

Caps United are in third place, one ahead of Arenel Movers.

Dynamos, Ngezi Platinum and Bulawayo Chiefs have managed to pick a single point each.