Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT might just still be a Match-day 14 fixture, but somehow this Castle Lager Premier Soccer fixture between the top-flight’s newboys MWOS against Scottland at Ngoni in Norton this afternoon, is already being touted as a championship title decider.
And for those who have been following the domestic game closely, such an assertion is not too far-fetched.
The two sides have taken the Premiership by storm in their debut season. They have flexed their financial muscles and the results of their investment have reaped early rewards, at least thus far.
It might need a calamitous loss of form for either side to collapse from the title-chasing pack.
In fact, apart from MWOS, unbeaten in 13 starts and Scottland, who have lost only once to 2023 champions Ngezi Platinum Stars, only champions Simba Bhora, who have recovered from a sluggish start, have been playing with consistency.
The other monied quartet of FC Platinum, TelOne, Ngezi and Herentals have been erratic with the former turning into the league’s draw specialists.
Now all the focus will be on Norton in the battle of clubs that also top the table in terms of flamboyance.
This clash will reap the regular three points for whoever wins it at a sold-out Ngoni, but those points could as well be the most significant come the end of the season.
It’s a clash of philosophies and a huge revival of a rivalry, which started at this same period last year when both were chasing the sole PSL promotion ticket in the Northern Region Soccer League.
Scottland ultimately prevailed in this rivalry having not only picked the most points out of the lot, but having snatched four of them from MWOS over their two-legged fixtures.
But MWOS found their way to the elite league too after purchasing the ZPC Hwange franchise.
With a definite score to settle against Scottland in the league, the Punters top the log standings on 27 points after 13 games, four ahead of easily their biggest antagonists Scottland.
Scottland could reduce that to just a point’s difference, if as largely expected they are awarded points for their abandoned tie against Chicken Inn.
Yet MWOS could in the meantime stretch their lead over Scottland to seven points should they win and keep their unbeaten start intact.
While they have claimed the scalps of some of the league’s bigboys in earlier rounds including Highlanders who they beat 1-0 on Match-day 1 at Baobab, Dynamos who the edged by a similar margin, MWOS know that Scottland, who are only new in name, but laden with experienced players, will offer a different and bigger test.
Scottland coach Tonderai Ndiraya, whose side boasts an array of talented players who include the reigning Soccer Star of the Year Walter Musona, who will play his first Premiership match in his hometown today, Khama Billiat, Tymon Machope, goalkeeper Nelson Chadya, Peter Muduhwa and Ghanian Frederick Ansah-Botchway, spelt out the importance of winning this game.
“Look, this is a really big match featuring two very good teams at a critical phase of the season,” Ndiraya said.
“We are the away team and that alone puts MWOS at the front foot. They haven’t been defeated in 13 games as well.
“That shows their resolve and tenacity as a team capable of challenging for the championship.
“We are heading for a punishing 90 minutes certainly, but the aim is always the same. We want to win and keep up with the leaders.
“The team has showed quite some good resolve in past games and we need to carry that mentality into the match against MWOS. I am sure it will be a very good game of football which fans will certainly enjoy.”
Scottland players ordinarily get US$250 as winning bonuses, but that will more than triple with the club’s sponsors yesterday pledging up to US$160 000 for a win against their biggest rivals.
MWOS, on their part have also upped the stakes.
They are understood to normally pay their players winning bonuses around US$350 for a win and they have reportedly doubled that figure in order to push them to pick the maximum points against Scottland.
Such is the importance being attached to this match by either side and their bands of supporters with 6 000-plus fans having already purchased their tickets when they were put on sale earlier in the week.
MWOS defender Valentine Katsande said; “This is the biggest game we are playing this season, I think. Yes, judging from the pre-match build-up and everything associated with it.
“We have prepared well and I am keen to see us emerge victors. This is a massive game and I am foreseeing a lot of fireworks for the entire 90 minutes.”
