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Fungai Muderere
DURING the just ended Castle Lager Premier Soccer League 2018 season, a total of 611 goals were scored, a decline from the 620 goals scored in the previous season, B-Metro Sport has learnt.
The nine-goal reduction from last season’s tally did not go down well with the PSL leadership amid an outcry by the league’s chairman Farai Jere.
“We expect to see more goals in the 2019 season. We challenge our strikers to go beyond the 20-goal mark in the next season,” said Jere.
Highlanders FC’s assistant coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu reckoned: “While some want to point out that our strikers are becoming blunt, I personally think our defenders have become world class. So, respect our defenders and goalkeepers for a job well done.”
Baroka FC-bound Rodwell Chinyengetere, who led FC Platinum to their second back- to-back league title, scooped this year’s Golden Boot gong with 17 goals under his belt.
In 2017, former CAPS United forward Dominic Chungwa finished the season as the league’s top goal scorer after also netting 17 goals.
In the 2018 season, bustling ZPC Kariba forward David Temwanjira became the first player in the league to reach double figures as his second brace of the season secured maximum points for ZPC Kariba against Triangle at home.
Temwanjira, who joined ZPC Kariba at mid-season, had scored nine goals while playing for Shabanie Mine in the first half of the season.
Shabanie Mine’s stocky forward Nigel Papius got this season’s goal number 400 in a match they were mercilessly beaten 1-5 by Ngezi Platinum Stars at Mhondoro’s Baobab Stadium on 22 August.
Papius, who was on loan from FC Platinum, scored the 400th goal of the season from the spot.
The 100th goal was scored by Highlanders forward Gabriel Nyoni in their 2-2 draw with Chicken Inn at Barbourfields Stadium.
Vengere Stadium in Rusape witnessed the 200th goal of the season from Blessing Maunganidze as Herentals equalised from the penalty spot in a match they played against relegated Mutare City Rovers.
Herentals were again involved in the 300th goal of the season as teenager Tinotenda Benza’s goal against Ngezi Platinum Stars saw the new comers shock the platinum miners 1-0 at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
Relegated Nichrut were the first side to score in the 2018 season when Spencer Masunda thrust them ahead in the 22nd minute through a free-kick that reportedly beat Mutare City goalkeeper Alfred Chiname all systems out.
In 2017, the fastest goal of the season came from the boot of Chicken Inn’s midfielder Innocent Muchaneka who put his paymasters into the lead in the 18th minute in a match that they went on to clobber hapless Bantu Rovers (now relegated) 5-0.
That happened to be the season’s opener biggest scoreline. This time around the biggest winning scoreline came from Bulawayo City and Ngezi Platinum Stars who beat Chapungu and Herentals by identical 2-0 scorelines respectively.
Meanwhile, a total of 442 808 fans paid to watch PSL matches this season, a significant increase from 428 597 fans in the 2017 season.
Online Reporter