Gwanda Pirates hit top gear

AFTER a slow start to the season, Gwanda Pirates appear to have found their rhythm, recording their third straight win of the 2026 Central Region Soccer League with a comfortable 2-0 win against West Nicholson on Sunday.
The victory moved Ezimnyama Ngenkani to within two points of log leaders Chapungu, with eleven points from five matches.

Pirates had appeared to lag behind in the race for promotion with two draws in their opening matches.
But the Johannes Ngodzo coached outfit have now found their rhythm with identical 1-0 wins against Kwekwe United and Sabi Gold Mine, capping it off with a derby victory over West Nicholson this past weekend.

Ngodzo feels his side needs to keep on the same trajectory and remain focused on the prize
“Yes, we didn’t start so well, we may have been doing the right things but we weren’t clinical enough in front of goal,”Ngodzo told the Zimpapers Sports Hub.

“We need to keep on pushing so we can remain close to our fellow competitors in the race. We are playing our own games in our way and we have our own race, so now that we’re done with West Nicholson, the next focus is Chapungu.”

Results
Matobo 0-1 Blanket Mine, FC Platinum U19 1-4 ZRP Gwanda, Dulibadzimu 1-0 MSU, Shurugwi 0-1 Grain Tigers,Good Morning 1-1 Vhembe Stars Academy,Sabi Gold Mine 1-3 Kwekwe United, West Nicholson 0-2 Gwanda Pirates, Chapungu 3-0 Shabanie, Tongogara v Supper Strikers (Postponed).

Central Region Soccer
League Log standings
P W D L F A GD Pts
Chapungu 5 4 1 0 12 0 12 13
Gwanda P 5 3 2 0 4 0 4 11
Grain Tigers 5 3 1 1 8 3 5 10
Kwekwe Utd 5 3 1 1 5 2 3 10
W Nicholson 5 3 1 1 5 3 2 10
Tongogara 5 2 3 0 9 4 5 9
Blanket Mine 4 2 2 0 4 1 3 8
Shabanie 5 2 2 1 5 4 1 8
Good Morning 5 2 1 2 4 4 0 7
Dulibadzimu 5 2 1 2 3 4 -1 7
Sabi Gold 5 2 0 3 6 7 -1 6
ZRP Gwanda 5 1 1 3 5 9 -4 4
Matobo 5 1 1 3 2 7 -5 4
Vhembe Stars 5 0 3 2 3 6 -3 3
Super Strikers 5 0 3 2 1 6 -5 3
MSU 5 1 0 4 1 7 -6 3
Shurugwi 5 0 2 3 3 6 -3 2
FC Plat U19 4 0 1 3 1 8 -7 1