Whawha’s forgettable record

Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter

SINCE its inception in 1993, the Premier Soccer League has produced a number of records, some of them spectacular, others largely forgettable.

Giants Dynamos hold a proud record for the most goals scored in a season – 79 – during the 1996 race, which they narrowly lost to rivals CAPS United.

Although the top-flight later changed from 16 to 18 teams in 2017, which meant more matches for the participants, no team has broken DeMbare’s 26-year record.

Bantu Rovers, have their own record too.

They are the team that has conceded the most goals in a season – 73 during the 2017 competition, when the league shifted to 18 teams. Army side Tongogara hold the worst record in the 16-team era as they shipped in 72 goals in 1997.

However, for all their poor statistics, Bantu Rovers had a better start to that calamitous 2017 season than what Whawha are experiencing in the current term.

Bantu Rovers had conceded 15 goals by the time they played their seventh league game against Yadah, which they surprisingly won 7-2. That translated to a yielding rate of 2.5 goals per match. Interestingly, or worryingly, Whawha could be staggering towards shattering that record if their statistics in the opening six matches of the 2021/2022 championship race are anything to go by.

The Gweru-based Prison and Correctional Services outfit go into their match against Yadah at Ascot this afternoon, having already conceded 20 goals, which translates to a rate of 3.33 goals per game.

It is an alarming rate for Whawha coach Luke Petros, whose circumstances have been worsened by a lack of almost everything, from financial resources to quality players.

Phonetically their name Whawha could mean beer in the Shona language and somehow Petros’ men have appeared disjointed as they just cannot find anyone to beat in the league.

Yet the signs had already begun telling during the 2021 Chibuku Super Cup.

Whawha failed to win a single match in Group 4 of the 2021 Chibuku Super Cup, which included eventual champions FC Platinum, runners-up Ngezi Platinum Stars and Triangle.

They conceded 24 goals in six matches, at a frightening rate of four per game.

Cumulatively, Whawha have shipped in 44 goals both in the league and the Chibuku Super Cup.

In 2015, when they made their first appearance in the top-flight, the servicemen conceded 51 goals, the worst in that campaign, and were subsequently relegated.

Seven years on, it looks like the prison wardens are walking down the same path again.

Their coach, Petros, is at a loss for an explanation.

“Football is all about winning matches but we are not. Instead we are letting in too many goals and yet we are not scoring,” he lamented.

Whawha were thumped 6-0 by CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday and Petros fears that result might have catastrophic effects on his “inexperienced” players.

“The boys have completely lost confidence, especially after the 6-0 loss to CAPS United. Most of my players are young and inexperienced, so it becomes a tough ask to motivate them in these circumstances.

“It’s increasingly getting difficult to lift up the boys especially after the recent defeats.

“Experience is lacking. There’s a certain level of quality that is expected in the PSL. The PSL is a demanding league and the players are failing to cope.

“This was evident during the game against CAPS United,” Petros said.

The former Warriors and Kaizer Chiefs striker retained the bulk of the players who won the Central Region Division One League title.

A thin purse also forced him to add just a few unheralded players.

“The bulk of players we have played for us in Division One, so we wanted to give them the opportunity in the top-flight since they served us well.

“We didn’t do much business in the off-season. We brought in about six players and most of them are failing to adjust to the demands of the PSL.

“But, I keep encouraging the players to soldier on. I keep telling them Whawha is giving them a rare opportunity to showcase their talents on a big stage.

“The other plus is that if a player does well, our organisation rewards. If you are not employed, then you might get a chance to be fully employed in the system. It’s a very good opportunity for life security.

“That’s actually the main target of the organisation. To provide full-time employment and also provide a stage for talented footballers to shine,” Petros said.

Some of the players at Whawha include Butho Phiri and Carlos Muzanago who joined from ZRP Gweru.

The highly-rated King Utete (21) and 20-year-old Diverlash Nyamukondiwa are also some of the faces at the prison side.

Whawha face equally struggling Yadah this afternoon, with Yadah coach Genesis Mangombe waiting to pounce on the Gweru side’s precarious position.

“We have not been winning so we want to maximise this chance and possibly pick up our first full set of points,” said Mangombe.

“However, we are expecting a tricky encounter because we are playing a wounded team, so we are not going to underrate Whawha.

“We are going to be offensive but making sure we do not concede,” he said.

Yadah are still winless in the league, with four draws and two losses.

They are 16th on the table.

They lost a host of key players during the January window and Mangombe has been forced to rebuild the squad once again.

Dribbling wizard, Issa Sadiki is now at Dynamos, Godfrey Mukambi joined Herentals while left back Bright Chayambuka is now at ZPC Kariba.

Promising striker, Fortune Binzi, is trying his luck at Black Rhinos while the duo of Tinashe Kabanda and Amon Kambanje have also left Yadah.

Whawha’s results in the last six matches