Chikuhwa takes lead in Golden Boot race: Will he breach the 20-goal mark?

HIGHLANDERS striker, Lynoth Chikuhwa, has taken the lead in the Premier Soccer League’s Golden Boot race with 15 goals, following his hat-trick against Greenfuel on Sunday.

Chikuhwa’s treble helped Highlanders secure a 4-0 victory at Barbourfields Stadium, making him the first Bosso player to achieve this feat in a decade, since Knox Mutizwa in 2015 when he fired three past How Mine in a 5-1 win.

The striker is followed by Yadah’s Khama Billiat and CAPS United’s William Manondo, who are tied on 12 goals.

In 2023, under Baltemar Brito, Chikuhwa scored three goals all season.

Chikuhwa’s impressive form has sparked hopes of breaking the 20-goal mark, a feat last achieved by Evans Chikwaikwai in 2009 with 23 goals and Norman Maroto in 2010 with 22.

With his tally, Chikuhwa is well-positioned to claim the Golden Boot award if he scores in the next two games.

Highlanders coach, Kelvin Kaindu has tipped the player to go on and win the Golden Boot award this season.

“In the game against Greenfuel, all the assists came from Brighton Ncube who even when he could have scored still searched for Chikuhwa to increase his tally, this shows the unity in the team to have Chikuhwa walking away with this accolade at the end of the season, it will be good for us,” said Kaindu.

Warriors and Dynamos legend Moses Chunga, scored 30 league goals and 16 cup games for the record of most goals in a single season after Independence in 1986.

In that year, Chunga was crowned the Soccer Star of the Year. His goals comprised 10 double strikes and three hat-tricks while the pair of Mercedes Sibanda and Boy Ndlovu were the runners-up on the Soccer Stars podium.

By mid-season in 2000, Highlanders FC gunslinger Zenzo Moyo had already scored 22 goals before moving abroad to join his new club Paphos Athletic Union in Cyprus.

In that year, Moyo was crowned Soccer Star of the Year.

In the last decade, no player has managed to breach the 20-goal mark.

Last season, Takunda Benhura won the Golden Boot with 13 goals while Manondo won the award in 2022 with 17 goals. — @innocentskizoe