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Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
FIRING blanks, that’s the story of Highlanders’ Lynoth Chikuhwa and Chicken Inn’s Brian Muza.
Ngezi Platinum’s Delic Murimba, Elie Ilunga who was previously with Black Rhinos and is now with Dynamos and Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya who does duty for FC Platinum complete the list of the players who managed to reach double figures in the previous season but are yet to open their accounts this term.
Only three out of the eight players that managed to reach double figures in the 2021/2022 season have scored in the 2023 season and the big question is — what has happened to the scoring boots?
The development is mind boggling for hordes of local football fans four weeks into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign.
Last season’s Golden Boot Award winner William Manondo and Dynamos’ Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Paga have so far scored a goal each for their respective clubs.
Manondo was on target when Makepekepe scored a goal in each half to overcome Black Rhinos 2-0 at the National Sports Stadium on Good Friday to replace rivals Dynamos at the top of the table.
Paga, who last term had 10 goals under his belt, was on target when DeMbare trounced the league’s newcomers Sheasham 4-0 in a week two encounter.
FC Platinum’s Walter Musona, who had 14 goals to his name last season, scored his first goal when Pure Platinum Play were edged 2-1 by Bulawayo giants Highlanders in a match that was played at Barbourfields Stadium.
Musona, now on two goals so far this season, also hit the target on Good Friday when FC Platinum edged winless Bulawayo Chiefs at Mandava Stadium.
Last season, Manondo had a total of 17 goals, Murimba was on 13, Muza got 11, Chikuhwa amassed 10 together with Paga and Ngwenya.
Chikuhwa, who missed a penalty when Bosso were held to goalless draw by Chicken Inn on Good Friday, was last on target when the black and white army beat Triangle 2-0 in September last year.
Stocky and pacey Muza last shook the nets for the Gamecocks in September when his side edged Whawha at Luveve Stadium.
This was after he had gone for a lengthy goal drought that saw him score his 10th goal for the Simbisa Brands-sponsored outfit in last season’s Week 17 encounter at the end of June.
The developments mean Chikuhwa and Muza have now gone on a seven months goal drought for their respective paymasters.
A total of 53 goals have so far been scored in the opening four weekends. The opening day of the season had 11 goals, with Caps United’s 2-0 win against Manica Diamonds being the biggest winning margin.
Match day Two last season had 13 goals and this season’s fixtures programme produced 11 goals. This season’s Match Day Four had a total of 18 strikes to take the goal tally to 53 so far.
The dearth of lethal goal-scorers in the country is worrying as the current crop of strikers is struggling to hit the 20-goal mark, 12 years after Norman Maroto banged 22 goals in the league.
The ex DeMbare marksman was the last to breach the 20-goal mark when he scored 22 goals for the now-defunct Gunners in 2010.
In 2012 former Kabwe Warriors forward Nelson Mazivisa scored 18 goals when he was doing duty for the ten trailblazing Shabanie Mine of Zvishavane.
Former Orlando Pirates and Mpumalanga Black Aces forward Tendai “Fire” Ndoro also scored the same number of goals in 2013 for Chicken Inn.
Consequently, the declining scoring rate in the last decade has left almost every local football lover asking the questions: Where are the strikers getting it wrong?
Are we headed to another flop show, only time will tell — @FungaiMuderere
Online Reporter