Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere, Zimpapers Sports Hub
IF ever there was a week that captured the chaos, passion, and unpredictability of Zimbabwe’s Premier Soccer League, it was Week 13.
Twelve goals. One abandoned match. Two red cards. A top scorer pulling clear and a giant stumbling at home.
As the PSL season marched towards the halfway mark, Week 13 proved it’s no slow dance to the finish, it’s a full-blown street brawl for supremacy.
Twelve goals hit the back of the net over the weekend, with defending champions Simba Bhora reminding everyone why they wear the crown. A ruthless 3-1 demolition of fading giants CAPS United marked their biggest statement in weeks.
Barnabas Mtuche, Donald Mudadi and Emmanuel Ziocha all struck with precision and flair, shredding a CAPS side that only had Junior Bunjira’s lone strike to show for their troubles.
The scoreboard flattered Makepekepe. The football didn’t.
At Barbourfields, where the Bosso faithful have turned games into rituals, Highlanders crumbled under pressure. Their shock 1-0 home defeat to a composed Herentals College side sent ripples through the title race.
It was Highlanders’ first home loss of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
For a club still clinging to its early-season momentum, this was a gut punch. Their fans watched in disbelief as Herentals celebrated like giant slayers.
Drama of the highest order unfolded at Scottland FC vs Chicken Inn. With just minutes left and the score still 0–0, a disputed penalty call in favour of Scottland lit the fuse. Tempers boiled over. Emotions snapped. And when the dust settled, veteran Gamecocks midfielder George Majika was sent off. Then came the unthinkable, the match was abandoned in the 89th minute. Majika wasn’t alone. Tinotenda Musariranwa of Manica Diamonds also received a straight red after a collision with Triangle United goalkeeper, Hamilton Makainganwa.
While chaos reigned, Washington Navaya of TelOne stayed ice-cold in front of goal.
His match-winning strike against Kwekwe United didn’t just seal three points, it fired him to the top of the goal-scoring charts with nine goals.
Billy Veremu of MWOS, who bagged one in a 1–1 draw with GreenFuel, is keeping the heat on with eight.
Meanwhile, the chasing duo of Reason Sibanda (Highlanders) and Francis Mustafa (Yadah) are stuck on five.
A pack of six players sit just behind on four goals each: Innocent Musiiwa (Bikita Minerals); Brighton Makopa (Chicken Inn); Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya (FC Platinum); Isasker Guribrab (Simba Bhora); Brighton Ncube (Highlanders); Charles Munyanyi (ZPC Kariba)
Week 13 wasn’t just about goals as red cards flew too.
We’ve had six own goals so far, including a cheeky nod from Blessing Chiota (Triangle) in Week 1 and Frank Makarati’s misfortune for TelOne in Week 7.
Own Goals This Season
Blessing Chiota (Triangle vs Scottland, Week 1); Pawell Govera (TelOne vs Dynamos, Week 3); Luckmore Takunda Chanaka (Bikita Minerals vs Scottland, Week 5); Gomegzani Chirwa (Ngezi Platinum Stars vs CAPS United, Week 5); Dreamer Liyeto (Herentals vs MWOS, Week 6); Frank Makarati (TelOne vs Manica Diamonds, Week 7);
Weekend Round-Up:
The Scores That Shaped the Table
Scottland 0–0 Chicken Inn (Abandoned 89’)
GreenFuel 1–1 MWOS; Ngezi Platinum 2–1 Dynamos; Kwekwe United 0–1 TelOne; adah 0–0 FC Platinum; Bikita Minerals 0–0 ZPC Kariba; Highlanders 0–1 Herentals; CAPS United 1–3 Simba Bhora; Triangle 0–1 Manica Diamonds
