Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HERENTALS Queens coach Simba Dedza has remained grounded even as his team made a huge stride in getting closer to what will be their fifth consecutive title after beating CAPS United 2-0 in a Zimbabwe Women’s Premier Soccer League match at Gwanzura on Wednesday.
The result means “Vagoni Vebasa”, on 57 points are now eight points above second-placed Chapungu, who they face at Manyame Air Base this Saturday, with six games remaining.
Bethel Kondo was the star of the show after the 20-year-old dished a brace of second half assists for Catherine Gwangwara and Natasha Benza who delivered the goods for the champions.
CAPS United Royals were up for the task though and forced their more fancied opponent to shift gears to get the points.
And Dedza was right in pointing out that there is still a lot of football to be played before the curtain comes down on the season.
“Look, you should get a full appreciation of what the last six games mean for us from the way we squeezed the result against CAPS United Royals,” said Dedza.
“We are at the most critical phase of the marathon right now where every point matters. Every moment is key right now.
“We need to take each game as it comes. There are no longer small teams neither are there easy games anymore.
“Everyone is now fighting with all they have to finish the season on stronger terms and some actually want to avoid relegation.
“That means every game we will play it like a cup final. We need to do more and to be innovative in every situation in the next six games.
“This is how we are now taking it all. The game against CAPS United Royals was very difficult and they made us work our socks off. I am glad we managed to claim it at the end of the sweltering afternoon.”
The game was played in high intensity with both sides showing they were in it to bag all the points.
Makepekepe were fresh off their motivating win over MPOSA at the weekend that eased their relegation woes and they showed they were ready to continue from where they had left with a gripping display especially given that they are not entirely off the precipice.
But it was Herentals, buoyed by the brilliance of Kondo, who showed some extra endurance in punishing afternoon temperatures to squeeze the win which might prove crucial by the time the season comes to an end.
For Dedza, the win was also a boost they needed ahead of their game against Chapungu Queens.
The Saturday fixture will be key for the Queen Students who know they will be more close to the objective with a win at the Air Force of Zimbabwe side.
“We know what a win will do to our title ambitions,” Dedza added.
“A defeat will be a blow so we will try by all means to avoid that.
“All we need is a full bag of points and that will be key in our dream of retaining the ZWPSL title for the fifth time at the bounce.”
