Chibuku Super Cup in numbers

THE Chibuku Super Cup contest concluded on Saturday in a repeat of last year’s final match.

This time around, Harare’s Rufaro Stadium was the venue, and Dynamos emerged as winners after getting the better of Ngezi Platinum Stars.

It all needed a penalty lottery for the Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe and Joel Luphahla-mentored side to claim gold in the country’s biggest knockout tournament that had a total of 38 goals.

Four players — Emmanuel Paga (Dynamos), Tymon Machope (Simba Bhora), Charles Teguru (Manica Diamonds) and Farai Madhananga (Ngezi Platinum Stars) scored two goals each for their respective clubs to finish as the competition’s joint top goal scorers.

Two braces were scored by Teguru in Manica Diamonds’ first-round match against Chegutu Pirates and the other came from Machope when Simba Bhora were knocked out by Ngezi Platinum Stars at the semi-final stage.

In the competition that comes out with a sole ticket to represent the country in the Confederation of African Football (Caf) Confederation Cup, two players Godknows Murwira (CAPS United) and Donald Mudadi of Dynamos were shown red cards during their matches against Ngezi Platinum Stars and Yadah respectively.

To book their way into the semi-final Simba Bhora needed a Premier Soccer League (PSL) boardroom decision that saw them being awarded their match against Highlanders on a 3-0 scoreline.

The eagerly-awaited Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final between Simba Bhora and Highlanders at Wadzanai Stadium was abandoned after 79 minutes following a controversial penalty decision.

Referee Cecil Gwezera blew to end the match after a 30-minute stoppage as Highlanders and captain Ariel Sibanda refused to take his position in goal for the dubious penalty to be taken.

There had been a five-minute stoppage before the penalty decision following skirmishes on the terraces.

And when play resumed it only lasted two minutes as Gwezera awarded a penalty to Simba Bhora for an incident that took place outside the box, according to even television replays.

Peter Muduhwa and substitute Tinashe Balakasi collided outside the box but the striker threw himself into the box, deceiving the badly positioned referee in the process.

This resulted in the stoppage as Highlanders players first protested and then walked away to their bench.

And when they returned moments later, captain and goalkeeper Sibanda refused to take his position in goal as Gwezera also did not return to the penalty area.

After a 14-minute stoppage, the match officials summoned the two captains to try and map the way forward.

The discussion barely lasted two minutes as Sibanda walked away, leaving his counterpart Walter Musona with the match officials.

Chibuku Super Cup Results in Full

Preliminary Round

TelOne 0-0 Arenel. TelOne won 4-2 on penalties.

Hwange 1-1 Chegutu Pirates. Pirates won 5-4 on penalties.

First Round

FC Platinum 1-0 TelOne, Bikita Minerals 0-1 Caps United, Chicken Inn 1-1 Yadah (Yadah won 5-4 on penalties),

Manica Diamonds 3-0 Chegutu Pirates, Highlanders 3-0 Greenfuel, Simba Bhora 0-0 Herentals (Simba Bhora won 4-3 on penalties),

Dynamos 3- ZPC Kariba, Ngezi Platinum 4-2 Bulawayo Chiefs

Last Eight

Manica Diamonds 1-0 FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-1 Caps United (Ngezi Platinum won 4-3 on penalties)