Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
MWOS are hoping that their Chibuku Super Cup momentum will re-ignite a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League revival and inspire a possible championship title push.
The Punters, playing in the top-flight for the first time, have hit a mid-season slump in which they only managed just two out of a possible 12 points in their last four league matches.
They also finally lost a league match at their Ngoni stadium fortress when going down 2-0 to FC Platinum.
As a result of their poor form, they surrendered top spot on the log standings to Simba Bhora.
MWOS now trail the champions by five points, as the 2025 marathon heads into the last 10 games of the season.
What makes MWOS’ bid even tougher is that fellow newboys Scottland are also in the hunt for a record-equalling championship title at the first time of asking.
Not since Black Rhinos in 1984 has a local side won the top-flight title in their maiden season.
And Scottland, who could take over pole position with a victory over ZPC Kariba at Rufaro this afternoon, are just a point behind Simba Bhora with 46.
MWOS showed that they are not entirely out of their depth after destroying CAPS United with a commanding performance in a 2-0 Chibuku Super Cup first round victory at Ngoni last weekend.
Seasoned defender Innocent Zambezi reckons that the win over CAPS United boosted their confidence levels ahead of their league clash against Simba Bhora at Ngoni tomorrow.
Zambezi acknowledged the heat that MWOS who, earlier in the season enjoyed a 16-game unbeaten run, were feeling.
“It’s been too long for us without winning matches in the Premier Soccer League,’’ Zambezi said.
“I think this is the longest spell we have taken as MWOS without collecting maximum points since the start of the season.
“And that has taken really a huge knock on our confidence levels. It’s really bad,” said Zambezi.
“The good thing, though it’s a small percentage, is that we remain up there because we did so well in most of our games in the first half of the season.
“So, we are looking for that spark again to carry us back on the road.
“I don’t think we are too far off the leaders in the league.
“I think our win against CAPS United in the Chibuku Super Cup was a confidence booster in a way.
“We are hoping to carry that positivity into the league.”
That positivity could start showing tomorrow when they face Simba Bhora in one of the matches whose outcome look to have a direct impact on the title destiny.
If Simba Bhora win, they will not only retain their place at the top but also steer further away from MWOS stretching the gap between them and the Punters to eight points with 27 more points to play for.
That will be catastrophic for a team that promised so much going for the first 16 games of the season without tasting defeat and capturing the imagination of many in the process.
“Of course, we are a new team in the Premier Soccer League but that doesn’t make us any smaller.
“We have ambitions too at an individual and team levels. That’s why we will fight until the very end,” added Zambezi.
“We are very much aware of the role that we need to play as individuals and as a team. We worked so hard throughout and we can’t just give up so easily.
“Simba Bhora is a big team and they are the champions but we need to win especially at home.
“We managed to grind out a point when we forced a goalless draw when we played them in the reverse fixture in Shamva.
“It will be a tough match, that’s granted but we need to do more.”
As much as he has helped the league newcomers to become a significant subject in the championship topic, Zambezi has also transformed himself into a giant player the country never knew existed in his average frame.
The MWOS environment has given him the wings that did not show during his quiet spells at Harare City and CAPS United.
Zambezi is the natural leader on the field for MWOS given the background that most of his teammates including captain Tafadzwa Nyabunze, are only playing in the Premiership for the first time.
“Yes, I am one of the senior guys at MWOS right now. I am happy about that. It drives me so that I should lead by example.
“In a way that has helped me improve and do things that I never thought I was able to since I made my Premiership debut at Harare City six years ago.”
The defender has helped the Punters both defensively and offensively, scoring three goals and providing five assists so far this season.
