Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
MOSES DEMERA has put personal problems over himself and is firing again.
The ZPC Kariba striker had to spend loads of time attending to his sick wife back in Harare before he lost his father in the first half of the season. That meant he had limited playing time for the Newton Chitehwe electricians.
But he is back to his best, scoring five goals in the last seven games as ZPC Kariba finally get to see the best out of their returning forward.
Demera spent the entire last term at Ngezi Platinum Stars but retraced his steps back to Kariba at the beginning of this year.
“I am very happy that I am managing to get the goals for the team in a critical phase of the season,” said Demera.
“It’s not every day that you get to score goals but I am very happy for myself and the team because I am getting to score and assist others as well.
“I will give it to my teammates who have developed that huge fighting spirit in them. I am enjoying every moment of the game, and I am hoping to keep on firing.”
The veteran forward is one of the few players who raises the bar in the second half as he did in 2023 when scoring 12 goals and falling short of winning the Premier Soccer League Golden Boot by a single goal that year.
He said: “At 36, I have seen a lot and I know just how to move around the opponent’s goal area with ease. But as I have already said, I owe it to my teammates who know where to put the ball for me.
“I am absolutely thrilled to have hit a purple patch, scoring three goals in the past two games in which we ended up winning against Triangle and CAPS United.
“That’s massive and everyone is happy. We will continue working hard for the wins and the goals.”
ZPC Kariba, on seventh place on the log with 37 points after 27 games, have transformed themselves into a force this season after they literally survived relegation due to their defensive ingenuity rather than attacking prowess last season.
They are well within fighting range for a top-four finish after turning themselves into attacking beasts they never were last year.
Yet they have remained as intact at the back as they were last term, conceding only 18 goals, and the third least in the league after log leaders Simba Bhora (16) and FC Platinum (17).
Offensively, they have been sharp, netting 24 goals and looking quite safe from the chop unlike the past three seasons in which they were always in the relegation matrix.
Chitehwe said: “I am absolutely thrilled with the way my boys have responded this season. We still have one of the best defences in the league but we were always struggling upfront. I am happy to see the boys doing so well.
“At 37 points, we certainly know that we are not entirely safe from relegation but I can tell you that we are enjoying our best season in four, five years right now.
“The good thing is we have picked good form at the right time. We are surely enjoying ourselves right now.”
ZPC Kariba lost so many players at the start of the season like the dependable Nyasha Gurende, Ashwin Karengesha, Leeroy Murape and in the mid-season they also failed to hold-on to their captain Boid Mutukure who has joined Simba Bhora.
“But all that doesn’t really matter as much as it affects our rhythm. We are certainly a team and those players we still have around should prove their worth,” added Chitehwe.
