SECRET WEAPON IS TAPERA EXPRESS

Veronica Gwaze

Zimpapers Sports Hub

ONE of the country’s leading football analysts, Desmond Mhene, feels Tonderai Ndiraya’s biggest weapon in his All-Star Scottland team could be speedster Michael Tapera.

Ndiraya will be hoping to win his second straight league title after leading Simba Bhora to glory in the championship race last year.

Scottland have gone on a massive shopping spree in which they have invested in the best footballers in the country, including the top three players in the league last season − Walter Musona, Khama Billiat and Lynoth Chikuhwa.

The Mabvuku side are currently on a pre-season tour of Zambia.

They recently unveiled a 14-member technical team, which has a data scientist Tatenda Munyaradzi, and a strength and conditioning coach.

Their first five league games are against Triangle, CAPS United, Ngezi Platinum Stars, Highlanders and Biita Minerals. Mhene, who has worked with Dynamos and Nyasa Big Bullets in Malawi, told Zimpapers Sports Hub:

“On paper, the team is very strong, they signed literally all the league’s best boys.

“Ndiraya has a secret missile in Tapera, who is good on the ball and has an eye for goal while Murwira, Chipunza, Peter Muduwa, Ronald Pfumbidzai and Vasilli Kawe, play with intensity.

“He has the league’s top three strikers of 2024 and this will be the team’s strength.

“All his departments are well balanced, he has the league’s top three strikers of 2024 and this will be the team’s strength.

“In his squad, Ndiraya opted for players with a high work rate.

“Looking at Tichaona Chipunza, Mthokozisi Msebe and Michael Tapera, they all have a high work rate and they will be expected to play a huge role in the transition-based game.”

Ndiraya knows that all eyes will be on him when the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League gets underway in a few weeks’ time.

He is set to lead the most expensively-assembled PSL side in recent memory.

The massive investment shows that the Scottland owners are not going to settle for anything less than the league championship.

It’s a huge challenge for Ndiraya and his technical side given that unlike last season, when Simba Bhora were not expected to win the league championship, there will be a lot of pressure on Scottland to win it in their first season.

The three games against CAPS United, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Highlanders will provide the test which will show whether Ndiraya and his men have the muscle to try and challenge for the league title.