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Zimpapers Sports Hub
TELONE registered the biggest win of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season with a 4-1 demolition of Triangle United at Ascot Stadium yesterday.
Elsewhere, there were three draws, two of them goalless while platinum miners Ngezi Platinum and FC Platinum picked up their first victories of the season — identical 1-0 home wins.
Herentals went top of the league with four points from two matches after a goalless draw against Dynamos, who are yet to score this season at Rufaro Stadium.
At Ascot, it was the first win of the season for TelOne, who were among the most active sides on the transfer market and touted as the team to watch out for.
And having lost their opening match of the season to Herentals last weekend, TelOne needed a result to get their campaign started.
Hard-running striker Tawanda Macheke opened the scoring for the WiFi Boys after 12 minutes before midfielder Bruno Mtigo added a second in the first half.
Substitutes Washington Navaya and Blessing Sahondo also put their names on the scoresheet for the home side in the second stanza.
Triangle got their consolation in the first half through Menford Mudzimu.
While the performance may not have been the best, TelOne coach Hebert Maruwa was pleased with the result.
“It was a good game for the boys but it is still work in progress and still trying to get the combinations right. I’m happy that the goals came and it’s a good response after the defeat to Herentals last week,” he said.
Triangle coach Luke Masomere was disappointed by the result but believes it is too early to press the panic button.
“It’s a disappointment on my part as a coach. How we planned this game is not how we played it,” he said.
“The season is still young. We had chances ourselves (like the penalty); if we had converted, we could have had a different result but we can’t mourn about that. We have to regroup and make sure we get maximum points in the next match.”
Triangle were given a lifeline in the 65th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Mudzimu was fouled inside the box.
The striker, however, failed to utilise the penalty, blazing his effort over bar.
At Rufaro, Dynamos continued their poor form in front of goal after firing blanks for the second successive match at the venue.
Dynamos scored 29 goals in 34 matches last season — a poor conversion rate of 0.85 goals per match — which resulted in the fading Harare giants finishing eighth on the final log standings.
They scored one goal in their last six matches of the 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season and it looks like they have started the 2025 season the same way they finished.
It looks like the goal-scoring problems are still an issue at the Harare giants. They remain goalless from their two matches this season.
Dynamos drew 0-0 against Herentals at Rufaro yesterday to stretch their goalless streak to 180 minutes.
DeMbare are now on two points out of a possible six from their opening two matches while Herentals moved to four points.
Dynamos also played out a goalless draw against ZPC Kariba in their opening league fixture last weekend.
Yesterday they created a lot of chances, hitting the bar twice in the first half, but the Harare giants could not score.
Scoring is now a perennial issue at Dynamos but coach Lloyd Chigowe is confident his boys will start hitting the target soon.
Ghanaian striker Frank Agyemang led the attack line yesterday, with Valentine Kadonzvo and Abel Gwatidzo roaming the wings.
“We are building a team and team building is a process,” said Chigowe.
“But I think, in terms of clear-cut chances, we got clear-cut chances.
“We created chances, we retained the ball more than them.
“Actually, in my opinion, we were the better side. Unfortunately, we did not put the ball in the net.”
Tellmore Pio missed a glorious opportunity in the first half, blasting the ball wide from very close range, after he had reacted to a rebound.
Kadonzvo also came close in the second half when his half volley drew a fine save from Herentals keeper Takudzwa Chikosi.
“We need to give these boys confidence and work a lot in front of goal.
“Obviously, there’s a lot that is needed to improve the team. It’s never going to happen in one day, but I think we are in the right direction.
“Hopefully, when we come again next week, we will give it a good go. And if this showing is anything to go by, we will come right going forward,” said Chigowe.
Dynamos host TelOne at Rufaro next weekend, and need a win to appease their restless fans.
Some of them hurled insults at the technical bench yesterday.
Herentals remained on top of the log with four points, after picking up a win against TelOne at the same venue last weekend.
“We managed to keep a clean sheet and got the crucial point,” said Herentals coach Paul Benza.
“We are happy because last season we started badly.”
At the Baobab Stadium, Ngezi Platinum Stars registered their first win of the season with a 1-0 win over GreenFuel.
With both sides playing to a stalemate in their respective matches in the opening fixture, it was Ngezi Platinum Stars who won the match in the 16th minute, thanks to a Malvin Gaki header off new signing Ashwin Murengeshi’s corner-kick.
Ngezi Platinum Stars enjoyed a better show in the first period and, apart from the solitary goal, their dominance was betrayed by the scoreline.
The visitors failed to create any scoring opportunity and managed just two shots off target in the first period.
Despite an improved second half from both sides, the two teams were found wanting in front of goal.
Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi was elated with a win but was worried about his charges’ conversion rate.
“I think it was a crucial win for us.
“As we are going, progressing with the league, hopefully they are going to make sure we can score two, three goals per game,” said the Ngezi Platinum Stars coach.
GreenFuel’s Taurai Mangwiro felt his charges put up a timid performance in the first-half before what he felt was an improved second half.
“It was a rather tepid first half in which we struggled to get into our rhythm. The unfortunate part is we conceded during that early period and tried hard to regroup.
“We got better in the second half, though we were vulnerable to the counter attacks. It was expected because we needed to rescue the game, we had to take our chances. We look forward to the next match,” said Mangwiro.
Results
Bikita Minerals 1-1 MWOS
FC Platinum 1-0 Manica Diamonds
Herentals 0-0 Dynamos
Ngezi Platinum 1-0 GreenFuel
TelOne 4-1 Triangle
ZPC Kariba 0-0 Simba Bhora
Online Reporter