adminAfter just two rounds of matches, the league has already begun showing signs that no team can afford to play catch-up if they are to have a say in the destiny of the championship title.
DC Academy, the club that honed the skills of reigning Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year and Warriors captain Denver Mukamba have leapt into the lead with four points courtesy of a win and a draw in their opening two assignments.
The club owned by Poland-based Zimbabwe international defender Dickson Choto are on top courtesy of a superior goal difference and they lead they lead a pack of eight teams including Blue Rangers, DStv Rangers, Gunners, Flame Lily, Jumbo Giants, and Mushowani Stars — that have the same number of points.
DC Academy who began the season with a 5-3 triumph over Forrester were held to a 1-1 draw by Lake Harvest at the weekend, which meant that none of the 18 teams will go into the Week Three round of fixtures with a 100 percent record.
In fact apart from Forrester’s 1-0 win over JMC courtesy of Cheide Gela’s solitary strike, all the weekend games were drawn matches.
Reinstated JMC were, however, on the receiving end of another 1-0 defeat again when they fell to Banket United in Shamva yesterday.
But with an array of players who have Premiership and even international experience and a host of seasoned coaches like ZPC Kariba’s Jostein Mathuthu, Paul “Popopo’’ Chimalizeni, the pair of Ralph Kawondera and his Flame Lily technical adviser Lloyd Mutasa, Twalumba’s Mike Madzivanyika and Partson Ndabambi , the league race is threatening to be too close to call.
It is the same tale in the Eastern Region where Dynamos legend and former Warriors skipper Moses Chunga is quietly going about his business in charge of Hippo valley while in the Southern Region Bulawayo Chiefs’ Rahman Gumbo and Solomon Kaseke of ZPC Hwange are among the high profile coaches pitting and their wits in Division One.
Chunga, a larger than life character has won once and drawn twice in his first three assignments at Hippo Valley who sit two points behind early pacesetters Tenax and Surrey Abattoirs.
The team that Chunga led to the Premiership title in 2009 — Gunners — are now under the guidance of another nomadic coach Ndabambi and the Harare side who won their first game were held 1-1 by their city rivals DStv over the weekend.
Steven Miranzi had put DStv ahead in the first half before Quinton Matsika struck in the 75th minute to help Gunners to a share of the spoils.
Ambitious Power Master might still be searching for their first win in 2013 but their coach Jackson Munyaka is satisfied with the overall showing of his charges, who have a point from two games.
Power Master secured their first point following a 1-1 draw with Star Bill in a game in which Talent Mandizadza scored for the hosts while Terrence Chitsamba was on target for the Munyaka’s electricals men.
Munyaka who also owns the club noted that the competition in the league has heightened this season following the arrivals of experienced players and coaches.
“I think the results of the first two weeks have shown that there is better competition this season.
“Most teams now have experienced players in their ranks and there are a number of top coaches in the league so much that the game has also become very technical and is exciting.
“The way the games are being run is also very positive, it is a pity there is no sponsor for the league at the moment and the only incentive that is keeping the clubs going is the fight for the sole ticket to the Premiership.
“Although we started with a loss I think it helped us to shape up and unlike last year when we started brightly but lost our focus , I think we have some balance this year because we have blended some of the youngsters we had from last year with those players who have Premiership experience,’’ Munyaka said.
Power Master will be hoping that player assistant coach Gilbert Mushangazhike and cast of old horses such as Lloyd Hlahla, Nyasha Chazika, More Moyo, Joram Matselele and goalkeeper Godfrey Brown, will soon get their act together and make their experience count.
They will be at home at Ngoni in Norton on Saturday where they welcome Chimalizeni’s newboys Mushowani.
Northern Region Week Three fixtures:(All matches 3pm unless stated)
Saturday: Twalumba v ZPC Kariba (Dzivaresekwa 2pm); Flame Lily v Chegutu Pirates (Chikuriubi); Power Master v Mushowani (Ngoni); Gunners v Starbil (Larfage); Blue Rangers v DStv (GMB Aspindale; JMC v Lake Harvest (Shamva).
Sunday: DC Academy v Commando (Hellenic) Forrester v Banket.
Online Reporter