Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title race took a dramatic twist on Saturday as Simba Bhora clawed their way back to the top, capitalising on MWOS’ shock defeat to Yadah, to reclaim pole position by goal difference.
It was a classic game of swings and statements, where Simba Bhora showed the mettle of champions and MWOS were left licking wounds from a “miracle” blow at the Heart Stadium.
At Rufaro, Simba Bhora came from behind twice to edge Herentals 3-2 in a five-goal thriller that had the stadium on its feet. Joel Luphahla’s men weren’t just playing for three points, they were playing to send a message.
“We should learn to manage games better without putting ourselves under pressure,” Luphahla said after the match.
“It’s not every day you can come from behind, but I have to give credit to the boys. They worked hard against a very difficult Herentals side.”
Isakar Gurirab was the star, twice drawing Simba level before veteran midfielder Never Tigere, introduced from the bench, sealed the game midway through the second half.
Simba’s surge back to the summit was aided by a shocker at the Heart, where Terrence Daka curled in a goal straight from a corner to hand Yadah a famous 1-0 win over MWOS.
MWOS coach Lloyd Mutasa, remained philosophical despite the meltdown.
“It’s a wake-up call,” he said. “We knew a defeat would come at some point. What matters now is how we respond.”
But the emotions were hard to miss. After the final whistle, tempers boiled over, a reflection of how much the result stung in a race as tight as this. The match raised new questions about MWOS’ squad depth, with their bench unable to spark a comeback despite the introduction of last week’s hero, Everson Feremba.
Yadah coach Takaendesa Jongwe, praised his side’s grit. “The win was important. We’ve been playing well, but the results haven’t always matched. Today, the effort paid off,” he said.
On Daka’s goal, Jongwe smiled: “That was a bonus. We practiced corners, but not like that!”
The fallout from these two matches has re-shaped the title narrative. Simba Bhora (40 points, +14 GD) are now back on top, with MWOS (40 points, +12 GD) forced to re-group.
TelOne sit just behind them on 33 points after a solid 1-0 win over a beleaguered Dynamos.
At Ascot, Washington Navaya’s second half header gave TelOne a crucial win over Dynamos and may have officially pulled them into the title conversation.
“We’re now challenging for the championship. That’s a declaration,” declared TelOne coach, Herbert Maruwa.
For Dynamos, the crisis deepens. They have now gone three games without scoring and looked devoid of belief after falling behind.
Coach, Saul Chaminuka cut a frustrated figure. “It’s painful. We had the chances but made wrong decisions in the final third,” he said. Still, he struck a defiant tone: “We won’t go down. There’s still time.”
Elsewhere, Scottland stunned Ngezi Platinum Stars 2-1 at Baobab to record their first away win outside Rufaro and hand Tonderai Ndiraya his first victory at his old stomping ground since leaving the club in 2018.
“This is a very difficult venue to get points,” Ndiraya said. “But today, we showed character.”
Scottland struck twice in the opening 10 minutes through Mthokozisi Msebe before being reduced to 10 men after Peter Muduhwa was shown a red card for a professional foul. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they held firm.
Ngezi coach, Takesure Chiragwi, blamed the kit clash for the confusion, leading to the goals but admitted, “We lost the battle and we lost the war.”
In Zvishavane, Nickson Nyasulu’s second half penalty gave FC Platinum a 1-0 win over Chicken Inn. Coach Norman Mapeza dedicated the victory to former captain Brian Banda, who passed away recently.
In Triangle, Innocent Masiwa’s late goal secured Bikita Minerals a 1-0 win over Kwekwe United and kept their unbeaten home record intact. Interestingly, Masiwa is reportedly close to a move to MWOS, a subplot worth watching as the title race intensifies.
Round 20 Summary
Simba Bhora 3-2 Herentals, Yadah 1-0 MWOS, Scottland 2-1 Ngezi Platinum Stars, TelOne 1-0 Dynamos, FC Platinum 1-0 Chicken Inn, Bikita Minerals 1-0 Kwekwe United
As the dust settles on a dramatic day, the PSL race has shifted again. Simba Bhora are back on top, but the chasing pack is alive and the drama is only just beginning.
