adminSikhumbuzo Moyo
FORMER Highlanders and Zimbabwe goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini had a hectic evening in the South African Absa Premiership when he was beaten seven times by Mamelodi Sundowns. Kapini now plays for Durban side AmaZulu. They were drubbed 7-1 by a rampant Sundowns in which Cuthbert Malajila, Mashego Katlego (2), Mashego Mphela (2), Hlompho Kekana and Dove Wome were on target.
Sithembiso Ngcobo pulled one back for AmaZulu in an evening Sundowns moved to the top of the standings.
The gloom was not confined to Kapini and Carlington Nyadombo at AmaZulu, but several other Zimbabweans found the going tough elsewhere. Former AmaZulu (Zimbabwe) and Highlanders utility player, Vusa Nyoni was last weekend dropped from his Belgian Jupiler League side Mons but their woeful start to the 2013/14 season continued to haunt them as they fell 0-2 to Anderlecht.
Nyoni has been one of the key players for the side although of late he has been coming in as a substitute as the technical staff try to juggle around with positions in search of the winning combinations.
Mons are rooted at the bottom of the table, winless with just two points from their two draws so far and are already firm favourites for relegation.
It has however, not only been Nyoni’s side that has been finding the going tough in Europe as another Zimbabwean in Belgium, former Caps United and Mamelodi Sundowns striker Nyasha Mushekwi’s Oostende are lying just above Mons with six points. This weekend they were mauled 0-3 by Mechelen through a hattrick by David Destorme with Mushekwi coming in the 61st minute for Tom Van Imschoot.
In Romania another former Caps United son, Mike Temwanjira had a bad day on the field as his Romanian side Vaslui were handed a 1-2 defeat by Corona Brasov. Temwanjira was taken out in the 69th minute and replaced by Denis Pozder.
Despite playing the entire match, former Motor Action forward Quincy Antipas, failed to find the target for his Danish side Brondby as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Viborg.
In the Telkom Knockout Cup in South Africa, Warriors star midfielder Khama Billiat missed a penalty in a quarter-final match against Takesure Chinyama’s Platinum Stars that saw The Brazilians being booted out 1-2 by Dikwena.
Former Chapungu, Highlanders and Dynamos frontman Cuthbert Malajila had been felled inside the box forcing the referee to point to the spot. Ironically it was the blistering form by the two Zimbabwean players that had propelled Mamelodi Sundowns to the next stage of the tournament but this time their combination yielded no positive result.
There was high drama at the soaked Charles Mopeli Stadium in Free State on Sunday afternoon as Kaizer Chiefs squeezed into the semi-finals of the tournament courtesy of a 4-2 win on penalties over Free State Stars.
With Stars seemingly getting away with it, leading 1-0 with moments before fulltime, Knowledge Musona struck the equaliser that took the game into the dreaded shootout.
Willard Katsande was one of the penalty takers who scored.
Online Reporter