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In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, Castle Lager Premier Soccer League chairman Twine Phiri, thanked clubs for fighting until the last whistle of the season. “It has been a great football year for us and it is very nice to see the championship being decided on the last day. That fact of not knowing where to take the trophy, hiring a chopper to deliver the silverware to the winning team created lots of interest in every sector,” said Phiri.
The league’s top goal scorer Roderick Mutuma with 14 goals to his account, put Dynamos in the lead with defender Guthrie Zhokinyi putting the game beyond the reach of Kiglon.
The Moneybags got their goals from Charles Sibanda, Mernard Mupera and an own goal by Tafadzwa Muzunze.
For FC Platinum, it will be an issue of so near, yet so far. They spent a fortune in assembling their squad at the beginning of the season hoping to make history by being the first out of Harare club to win the championship.
They will have to go back to the drawing board and work on their shortcomings and probably challenge for next year’s race.
FC Platinum will live to rue the five-game winless streak in August that saw them being held to a goalless draw by Zimbabwe Saints (away), lose to Highlanders 1-0 at Barbourfields, play to a goalless draw against Motor Action and one-all draws with Chicken Inn and Caps United.
During the same period Dynamos closed the gap as they beat Shooting Stars (4-1), Shabanie Mine (2-0), Gunners (3-1), Zimbabwe Saints (4-0) and Monomotapa (2-0).
Now the above facts are water under the bridge and DeMbare deserve the trophy after a brilliant second half of the season performance.
Focus now shifts to the Caf club competitions where Dynamos and FC Platinum will represent Zimbabwe in the Champions League with Motor Action and Hwange going for the Confederations Cup.
In the relegation battle, Masvingo United kissed topflight soccer goodbye after succumbing to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Monomotapa.
Masvingo United joined Kiglon, Shooting Stars and Zimbabwe Saints on their way to the unfashionable Division One league.
Shabanie Mine survived the chop in style as they beat Highlanders 2-0 at Maglas Stadium. The Zvishavane club went into the weekend occupying the fourth from the bottom slot and their gods smiled on them as they beat Bosso.
Despite losing 1-0 to Blue Ribbon, an Adam Ndlovu-coached Chicken Inn managed to end the season in the top eight in their maiden season.
The fast food outlets-sponsored Bulawayo club finished on eighth with 42 points. They will now join Dynamos, FC Platinum, Motor Action, Hwange, Gunners, Caps United and Highlanders in next year’s BancABC Sup8r Knockout competition.
Online Reporter