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Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
WITH 25 matches having been played in the 2016 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, statistics show the top goal scorers, Hwange’s Gift Mbweti and Caps United’s veteran striker, Leonard Tsipa having scored nine goals apiece.
The goals have left them at a rate of 0.36 goals per match, and if it continues at this rate, the top goal scorer at the end of the season is unlikely to reach the 12-goal mark.
Another interesting, or rather worrying fact is that no player is yet to score a hat-trick this season and this has got football fans questioning the quality of the strikers in the country.
Several coaches and commentators who spoke to Sunday News offered different opinions on the reason for the few goals this season with some putting the blame on the strikers, others apportioned it to the midfielders while junior development was not spared either.
Football commentator and analyst, Muziwethu Hadebe said there is a lack of natural strikers in the country with most being midfielders-turned-forwards. He said this was part of the modern game but added converted midfielders needed to be more accurate.
“We don’t have as many strikers scoring. I think we no longer have natural strikers but in their place are midfielders turned strikers and it is part of the modern game, the converted midfielders have to be accurate,” said Hadebe.
He also put the blame on junior structures saying there might be a need to revisit grassroots soccer and identify natural strikers for the long term.
Former midfield maestro-turned media analyst, Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda felt midfielders were not creating clear-cut chances for strikers to convert.
He said there seemed to be lack of hungry strikers who come on the field itching to score, an assertion that was backed by Chicken Inn coach, Rahman Gumbo.
“I think midfielders are not being creative enough to come up with chances for the strikers, there are very few opportunities upfront that are availed to the strikers but we also lack those eager strikers such as Gift Mpariwa, Zenzo Moyo and Shacky Tauro who every time they faced the goal would score,” said Gidiza.
How Mine coach, Kelvin Kaindu was of the opinion that teams have employed a more defensive style of play that has yielded few attacks upfront.
He argued teams have gone into matches being content with coming out with a draw hence the defensive play.
“Teams would rather spend most of their time defending and only try to catch their opponents on the break hence the few scoring chances being made.
“Teams are happy fighting for a point instead of working hard to get the full set of points. Coaches seem to want to protect their jobs hence they employ a tight and closed game,” said Kaindu.
The Zambian coach said lack of goals was taking away the flair from the Premiership from a fan’s point of view as the most exciting part of football is mostly the goals.
Gumbo felt predatory strikers were no longer there in the PSL adding problems could be lack of adequate development in the junior ranks.
Harare City assistant coach Mkhuphali Masuku also blamed poor training at junior levels but said the past two seasons have produced a low scoring rate.
Despite there being no hat-trick it is worth noting that there are 13 braces that have been scored by Knox Mutizwa (Highlanders), Obadiah Tarumbwa (Chicken Inn), Raphael Manuwire (Harare City), Prince Dube (Highlanders), Obrey Chirwa (FC Platinum), Bruce Kangwa (Highlanders), Gift Mbweti (Hwange), Mostafa Ponyera (Tsholotsho), Nicholas Mundandishe (Tsholotsho), Trevor Ndlovu (Bulawayo City), Gilbert Zulu (Hwange), Alick Marime (Tsholotsho.
Last year there were 31 braces and five hat-tricks, which included four goals scored in one match by How Mine’s Timothy January against Whawha when they won 6-0.
Golden Boot Winners since 2011
2015 Knox Mutizwa (Highlanders) — 14 goals
2014 Charles Sibanda (Highlanders), Kudakwashe Musharu (How Mine) — 12 goals
2013 Tendai Ndoro (Chicken Inn) — 18 goals
2012 Nelson Maziwisa (Shabanie Mine) — 18 goals
2011 Rodreck Mutuma (Dynamos) —14 goals
Online Reporter