Bad weekend for Southern Region PSL clubs

IT was a bad day on the field for Southern Region-based Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clubs as former champions

were the only outfit that managed to collect a full set of points when they edged visiting Greenfuel 1-0 in Week 10 action, played on Saturday and Sunday.

It was not a fruitful weekend for Highlanders, Chicken Inn, Bulawayo Chiefs, Arenel Movers, TelOne and Hwange.While Bosso managed to retain the top spot despite dropping points against new boys Arenel Movers, the Amahlolanyama head coach, Kelvin Kaindu was left a worried man after the two Bulawayo teams played out a goalless draw at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

“It’s not even a point gained,” said a dejected Kaindu.“It’s always difficult in a moment like this. It’s not a point gained. I think we have dropped three points in this game. I feel this is a game we should have won. We have not done well in terms of playing our local teams.

I think most teams will play for a draw and they will be happy with that. I feel this is a game that we should have won. In terms of playing our local teams, we have drawn twice and lost once and I think there is a lot of complacency in our team.”

Bosso sits on the apex of the log standings tied on 19 points with second-placed and resurgent Manica Diamonds courtesy of a superior goal difference. On the other hand, after going for a two-game win-less streak, Arenel Movers head coach, Farai Tawachera welcomed the point they got against Bosso reckoning it is not always easy to play against the Bulawayo football giants.

“We are trying to get our combinations, it takes time. You need to be a bit reserved when playing against Highlanders. It’s a precious point to us considering that in the past two games we had lost, so we needed to bounce back,” said Tawachera.

After watching his charges being held to a nil-all home draw by visiting Dynamos who missed the services of the influential trio of captain Frank Makarati, Tanaka Shandirwa and Emmanuel Jalai, Chicken Inn gaffer, Joey Antipas said his charges looked lost.

“Dynamos came at us and outran us, we settled down after about 30 minutes, but it just didn’t work out. Games are never the same. All I can say is; we didn’t play as well as I thought we should have played and the guys looked lost, but going forward we need to improve,” said Antipas.

He added: “I would say we were lucky to get out with a point. We just didn’t play our normal game. We were a bit jittery and we just played the long ball and we really didn’t do much.”
Chicken Inn is fourth on the table with 16 points after posting three wins, one draw and a single loss in their last five games.

Bulawayo Chiefs were handed a two-nil away defeat by the league’s reigning champions Ngezi Platinum Stars to remain on 15 points. It was a result that saw Ngezi Platinum Stars climb into safety as they are now number nine with 12 points.

Gweru-based TelOne were held to a one-all draw by Bikita Minerals while wilting Hwange continued to sing the blues after they were thumped 3-0 by CAPS United, to remain glued at the bottom of the table with six points from a possible 30, which speaks to a 20 percent success rate.

From 10 outings, Chipangano has won once, drawn thrice and lost six times. The coalminers have gone for nine games without a victory and club coach, Nation Dube believes had they been solid in defence they could have posted a positive result against Makepekepe who climbed to seventh place.

“Our defence failed to deal with those crosses, but we played well. We conceded easy goals and we could have picked a much more positive result had we been solid at the back,” said Dube.While it was not rosy for Bosso, Amakhosi Amahle, Gamecocks, Sweet Boys and Chipangano, last season’s first runners-up Manica Diamonds managed to get their fifth win on the trot when they dismissed ZPC Kariba 2-0.

PSL Week 10 Results
Arenel 0-0 Highlanders, CAPS United3-0 Hwange, Chegutu Pirates 1-2 Simba Bhora, Chicken Inn 0-0 Dynamos, FC Platinum 1-0 Greenfuel, Ngezi Platinum 1-0 Bulawayo Chiefs, Bikita Minerals 1-1TelOne, Herentals 1-0 Yadah, ZPC Kariba 0-2 Manica Diamonds. — @FungaiMuderere.