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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
GOALS seem to be elusive in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, with just 11 scored on Match Day Three where nine matches were played.
A total of 35 goals have been scored after three rounds of matches.
Teams appear to be more tactical and cautious in their approaches, with fear of losing getting the better of most as they are not playing open games. Most sides have been defensive in their approaches, with scoring opportunities that player fluff coming few apart.
Compared to last season where the opening three weekends saw an incredible 61 goals scored, one might also interpret the lack of goals this season to an improvement in teams’ defensive abilities.
On the opening weekend of the 2021/22 season, 22 goals were scored with the biggest margin winner being FC Platinum who clobbered Tenax CS FC 6-1, Ngezi Platinum Stars’ 5-0 victory against Bulawayo City and Manica Diamonds smacked Whawha 4-0.
All the three teams which suffered heavy defeats last season were relegated.
Match Day Two of last season had 14 goals, with Match Day Three having 25 goals.
This time around, the opening day of the season had 11 goals, with Caps United’s 2-0 win against Manica Diamonds being the biggest winning margin.
Match Day Two had 13 goals and this past weekend 11 goals were scored.
Hwange were the team that won with a big score line, beating Green Fuel 3-0 at Luveve Stadium. The coalminers’ goals came from former Bosso 90 midfielder Brighton “Ba” Makopa, Tendai Muvhuti and Ernest Gwitima.
Makopa is the joint leading league scorer alongside FC Platinum’s Juan Mutudza, the only player to have scored a brace this season. The FC Platinum midfielder scored two goals when the champions came from a goal down to beat Simba Bhora 2-1 on the opening day of the season.
Of the 11 goals scored this weekend, one was from the penalty spot that was converted by Makopa.
The other goals, excluding Hwange’s, were scored by Highlanders’ defender Peter Muduhwa as well as striker Stanley Ngala as Bosso broke FC Platinum’s nine-year winless jinx winning 2-1 at Barbourfields Stadium. Reigning Soccer Star of the Year Walter Musona was on target for the champions.
Caps United’s central midfielder Adrian Silla scored a wonder-strike as the Harare giants edged ZPC Kariba 1-0.
Former Young Warriors’ captain Liberty Chakoroma found the target for Manica Diamonds in their 1-1 draw against Herentals whose goal came from Tafadzwa Jimu.
Tineyi Tsimba and Junior Zindoga were on target for their respective teams, Sheasham and Yadah who drew 1-1 at Mandava Stadium.
There were no own goals recorded this weekend while Four out of the nine matches ended in goalless draws.
Red cards
Two players, Triangle United’s Joe Nyabinde and Green Fuel’ goalkeeper Arnold Munkuli were sent off in their respective matches. Nyabinde went for an early shower in Triangle United’s 0-0 draw with Ngezi Platinum Stars, while Munkuli was shown red in their 3-0 defeat to Hwange.
Yet to lose
Six teams, joint leaders on seven points Dynamos, Caps United and Highlanders, Chicken Inn, Triangle United and Ngezi Platinum Stars are yet to taste defeat in three games. Dynamos, Highlanders and Caps United have each won two games and drawn once taking their points tally to seven.
Chicken Inn and Triangle United each have a win and two draws, with Ngezi Platinum Stars on three draws.
Yet to win
All the bottom eight teams are still searching for their first sets of maximum points. Ngezi Platinum Stars, Herentals, Bulawayo Chiefs, Manica Diamonds, Sheasham, Simba Bhora, Cranborne Bullets and anchors Green Fuel remain winless. Ngezi Platinum Stars are on three points, with Herentals, Bulawayo Chiefs, Manica Diamonds and Sheasham all tied on two points, while the bottom three Simba Bhora, Cranborne Bullets and Green Fuel have a point each.
Yet to score
Only second from the bottom of the table with just a point, Cranborne Bullets are yet to find the back of the net in three games.
Yet to concede
Dynamos, Caps United, Chicken Inn and Triangle United’s defences are yet to be breached.
Castle Lager Match Day Three results
Friday: Herentals 1-1 Manica Diamonds
Saturday: Simba Bhora 0-0 Dynamos, Sheasham 1-1 Yadah, Bulawayo Chiefs 0-0 Black Rhinos, Cranborne Bullets 0-0 Chicken Inn
Sunday: Caps United 1-0 ZPC Kariba, Highlanders 2-1 FC Platinum, Triangle United 0-0 Ngezi Platinum Stars, Hwange 3-0 Green Fuel. — @ZililoR
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