Herentals on warpath

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
NORTHERN Region Division One Soccer League pacesetters Herentals quickly bounced back to winning ways on Saturday by beating ZRP Morris 2-1 at the National Sports Stadium B Arena.

Coming from a goalless draw against Chegutu Pirates the previous week, the log leaders had to fight their way back into the game to collect maximum points after ZRP Morris took the lead in the first half.

Denzel Chimwemwe and Blessing Maunganidze were on target for Herentals.

With an 11-point lead, Herentals coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva said they were in a good position to feel confident about their chances of battling for the championship.

They are sitting on 37 points, with 11 wins, four draws and one defeat.

“As a coach I always want to achieve things and right now it looks like we are on the right track to achieve something for the club.

“So far we are just pacesetters for promotion and it looks like we are the favourites, so we have to cement it more.

“We are going for it now, there is no need for us to look back considering the gap. It means more work to be done, so right now the objective is to win (every game).

“We started with the same objective that we should be promoted taking into consideration last year we were the first runners-up. This year it’s promising to be our year.

The Herentals coach was relieved after their victory on Saturday conceding ZRP Morris were a tough side.

“Actually it was a good fight looking at the way Morris are playing, normally they collect maximum points against big teams. We actually came from behind to win the match, which showed a spirited performance, with a lot of character from the boys to win the match coming from behind.

“I regard that as the drive behind our success because this is not the first game we have come back from behind to win. We came from behind against Karoi to win 2-1, away to Darwin to win with the same scoreline and against Mambas (ZRP FC). That shows the character driving us to try and win the championship,” Mutiwekuziva said. With just one game to go before the mid-season break, Herentals are looking at concluding the first half of the season on a high note.

Results: Mufakose 0, Chegutu 0; Kariba Waves 2, Harare City Cubs 1; Golden Valley 1, Banket 0; Chitungwiza M 1, ZRP FC 1; Cranborne 0, Mushowani 0; Blue Swallows 1, Ngezi Under-19 0; Trojan 2, Darwin 2; Shamva 0, Karoi, 0; Herentals 2, ZRP Morris 1.

Log Table

Northern Region

P W D L F A Pts

Herentals 16 11 4 1 28 8 37

Karoi 16 6 8 2 16 10 26

Mushowani 16 7 5 4 12 8 26

Golden Valley 16 7 4 5 23 14 25

Blue Swallows 16 8 1 7 18 10 25

Cranborne 16 7 4 5 15 8 25

Ngezi U-19 16 7 4 5 19 13 25

Harare City Cubs 16 6 5 5 17 24 23

Banket 16 6 4 6 19 14 22

ZRP FC 16 5 7 4 18 13 22

Mufakose 16 5 7 4 16 15 22

Chegutu Pirates 16 5 7 4 10 11 22

Kariba Waves 16 6 3 7 13 26 21

ZRP Morris 16 6 2 8 17 19 20

Trojan 16 5 3 8 14 25 18

Darwin 16 3 5 8 9 23 14

Chitungwiza M 16 2 7 7 14 24 13

Shamva 16 1 2 13 9 22 5

Eastern Region

Results: Mwenezana 0, Surrey 1; Melfort 0, Tenax 2; Renco Mine 1, Prime Rangers 1; United Lions 1, Buffaloes 5; Mutoko 1, Bikita 0; Gutu 1, Africa Trust 1; Mukanya B 2, Black Eagles 1.

Log Table

P W D L F A Pts

Buffaloes FC 10 6 2 2 15 5 20

FC Mtoko 10 6 1 3 10 6 19

Mukanya B 9 5 2 2 9 4 17

Mucheke Pirates 9 5 2 2 8 6 17

Mutare City ** 9 5 1 3 15 6 16

Tenax FC 9 5 0 4 13 12 15

Africa Trust FC 10 3 5 2 11 8 14

Renco Mine FC 10 4 2 4 10 9 14

Mwenezana FC 10 3 4 3 11 12 13

Surrey FC 10 3 4 3 3 8 13

Melfort FC 10 3 3 4 6 10 12

Prime Rangers 10 2 5 3 7 6 11

Bikita Minerals 10 2 4 4 4 8 10

Gutu FC 10 2 4 4 9 14 10

Black Eagles FC 10 1 3 6 11 15 6

United Lions FC 10 1 0 9 5 21 3

Results: ZPC Hwange 1, Makomo 1; Vic Falls Tigers 1, Chiwororo 0; Bosso 90 3, Black Boots 2, Zim Leopards 2, Talen Vision 1; Bulawayo Chiefs 2, Casmyn 0.

Log Table

Southern Region

P W D L F A Pts

Bulawayo Chiefs 11 10 1 0 22 2 31

ZRP Byo Province 9 4 5 0 13 4 17

Bosso 90 9 4 4 1 11 9 16

ZPC Hwange * 8 4 3 1 10 3 15

Casmyn 10 4 3 3 13 8 15

Talen Vision 11 3 5 3 9 7 14

Makomo 9 3 3 3 9 11 12

Indlovu 8 3 2 3 12 9 11

ZIM Leopards 10 2 5 3 17 16 11