Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere and Onward Gangata, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) reached a notable milestone this past weekend as Kwekwe United’s Tafadzwa Muzenda netted the 200th goal of the 2024 season during a gritty 1-1 draw against GreenFuel at Gweru’s Bata Stadium.
GreenFuel forward Clive Rupiya responded moments later, scoring the league’s 201st goal and salvaging a point for the visitors. The Sunday double strike pushed the season’s tally past the 200-goal mark — a significant statistic amid growing concerns over the league’s goal drought and attacking inefficiency.
Heading into the weekend, only 193 goals had been scored across 119 matches. Just six goals were added in seven matches on Saturday before Muzenda and Rupiya tipped the scale on Sunday afternoon.
MWOS striker Billy Veremu continues to shine in front of goal. His winner against Scottland FC at a packed Ngoni Stadium in Norton brought him level with TelOne’s Washington Navaya as joint top scorers, each with nine goals after 14 rounds.
That tightly contested match ended 1-0 in favour of MWOS, keeping them firmly at the summit with 30 points. The result also underscored the importance of clinical finishing in a league increasingly defined by missed chances and drawn fixtures.
Sunday’s headline clash between traditional rivals Highlanders and Dynamos ended in yet another goalless draw — the league’s 27th of the campaign — raising further questions about attacking quality. Despite the electric atmosphere at a packed Rufaro Stadium, both sides failed to find the net, leaving fans entertained but ultimately unfulfilled.
In total, 51 of the 126 matches played so far have ended in draws, a statistic that reflects not only tactical conservatism but also a chronic lack of cutting edge in the final third.
With the first phase of the season now concluded, the PSL takes a brief pause to accommodate the national team’s international commitments. The Warriors are set to play two friendly matches against Burkina Faso and Niger in Morocco — on Friday and Tuesday respectively.
Simultaneously, a developmental Warriors side will compete in the Cosafa Cup, which kicks off tomorrow in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The regional tournament runs until June 15 and is expected to provide valuable exposure for emerging talent.
Elsewhere, four-time PSL champions FC Platinum continue to endure an erratic campaign. Their 1-0 win over TelOne in the Midlands Derby was just their third victory in 14 matches — despite remaining unbeaten. The club has drawn 11 times and scored only nine goals, the same tally as 17th-placed Triangle United.
For head coach Norman Mapeza, the frustration lies not in a lack of quality, but in poor finishing and decision-making in key moments.
“We’ve been looking to win our games, but we had so many draws. It’s a huge relief. I said in Harare the other day, the way we were playing, it was either we were going to win or lose. It’s all about belief now — we need to keep believing,” said Mapeza after Saturday’s narrow win.
Mapeza attributes much of the club’s underperformance to wastefulness in front of goal.
“If you look at our performances in those games, we had a lot of opportunities. We created a lot of chances and I’ve been telling the guys they need to be patient. Let us improve our decision-making, especially in the final third,” he said.
The Zvishavane-based side now sits on 20 points — 10 behind league leaders MWOS — and remains in contention, but only just. A sharper edge in attack could be the difference between mid-table obscurity and a late title charge.
While critics argue that FC Platinum have lost their bite, Mapeza remains convinced that the performances are better than the results suggest.
“The results don’t reflect our quality. We just need to keep working on converting the chances we’re creating,” he said.
