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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League race is as good as over.
FC Platinum are poised to retain the crown for the fourth season running.
They are just a point away from reclaiming the cup with three games still to play.
The Zvishavane side will emulate Dynamos and Highlanders who have both previously won four league titles in a row unless a miracle of astronomical proportions happens.
Second-placed Dynamos and Chicken Inn, who are third on the log, are almost guaranteed their place in the top-four while four teams — Ngezi Platinum Stars, Highlanders, Herentals and Black Rhinos — are fighting for a place in the top-four.
At the bottom end of the log, WhaWha appear to have surrendered to fate with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services team facing certain relegation.
Tenax, Bulawayo City, Harare City and ZPC Kariba are also in real danger of demotion.
There have been a number of individual players who have stood out and are in the running for a place on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League calendar.
For all the troubles that CAPS United have faced this season, it will not be surprising if their chief striker William Manondo, the league’s leading scorer with 15 goals, is voted the Soccer Star of the Year.
He has not only scored important goals, which have ultimately helped the Green Machine move away from the drop zone, but he has contributed over 80 per cent of the assists to 14 other goals his team has scored this term.
Of course, he will always face close competition from FC Platinum’s Walter Musona and Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, Brian Muza of Chicken Inn as well as Dynamos’ Frank Makarati.
But, this could as well be a season which a goalkeeper could win the biggest individual prize on land.
There is an intriguing race for the Golden Glove award amongst the league’s goalkeepers with four of them having a chance to finish the term with the highest number of clean sheets.
Dynamos goalkeeper Taimon Mvula is widely seen as one of the top contenders for the Soccer Star accolade.
He has stood firm in between the sticks for the Glamour Boys.
Until he suffered a shoulder injury in the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals against FC Platinum three weeks ago, Mvula was the only player at DeMbare who had played every minute this season.
Due to that injury, Mvula has missed three league matches and all things being equal, he will be bouncing back to wrap-up the season as he is now certified fit.
In 27 games he has played, Mvula has kept out 16 clean sheets, conceding just 13 goals.
But, with rumours he is one of the players being sidelined due to some sabotage claims at the Glamour Boys, Mvula risks losing the best goalkeeper’s award to Ngezi Platinum’s Nelson Chadya.
The latter has kept out 15 clean sheets in 30 games and is one of the key reasons Ngezi Platinum are pushing for a top-four finish. The 24-year-old has conceded 19 times in 30 games.
Donovan Bernard of Chicken Inn missed only three games this season at a time he was pushing for a move to South Africa and his understudy Pride Zendera took responsibility in the matches against FC Platinum, Bulawayo Chiefs and Dynamos.
The former Warriors goalkeeper has so far been breached 20 times in the 27 games he has featured for the Gamecocks.
FC Platinum’s Wallace Magalane has played the fewest games out of the lot.
He has managed 14 clean sheets in 17 games and has let in four goals since winning the Number One jersey from Petros Mhari back in May.
Mvula, who played down the alleged fall-out with his coach Tonderai Ndiraya, said he has had a dream season with Dynamos.
“The aim was to win the league title this season but it’s now next to impossible,” he said.
“I would like to thank my technical team led by head coach Ndiraya for the faith they have shown in me to guard the posts all season,” said Mvula.
“I have been down with an injury and I am now back. I will have to train hard to get the jersey back. I am aiming to complete four other clean sheets in the last four games to take my league clean sheets to 20.
“The dream is always to be the best but I know, others are also doing well.”
Chadya, the only player at Ngezi Platinum Stars to play every minute this season, said he is pushing to help his team finish the season on strong terms.
“I am happy to have kept out 15 clean sheets so far. It comes down to teamwork. My dream is to see the team finish the season in the top-four,” said Chadya.
“The competition has been stiff in the league and there are so many goalkeepers doing well in the division. I will work hard to increase my clean sheets tally in the last four matches.”
Donovan said he is being inspired by his counterparts and he will be aiming to keep the most clean sheets.
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