Chronicle Editor
Sports Reporter—
HOLDERS and three-time champions ZB Bank will seek to continue their dominance of the Payserv Financial Services League Cup when the tournament bursts into life at Barclays Bank Sports Club on Saturday.The Financial Services League formerly known as the Bankers League has over the years been a breeding ground for talented players who have gone on to play for Premiership clubs.
It was at previous editions of this tournament and the league championship that such players like Warriors international Hardlife Zvirekwi, Wellington Kamudyariwa of FC Platinum, former Sporting Lions midfielder Bothwell Mahlengwe and ex-Gunners defender Milton Mukaronda honed their skills.
There is also a wave of expectation that in a season in which the Premiership has been struggling for strikers, the top-flight coaches may have to turn to such leagues as the FSSL for talent.
That centre back and Ngezi Platinum skipper Liberty Chakoroma won the Golden Boot in the Chibuku Super Cup with four goals and the fact that the leading scorer in the Premiership — Leonard Tsipa — is pegged on 11 goals with two rounds of fixtures remaining, has put into perspective the dearth of quality strikers in the elite league.
The spotlight in the preliminary round draw will naturally fall on ZB Bank who have won the competition successively in the last three years.
ZB Bank who are the group seeds will have to shake the challenge of sister club ZB Life, Ecobank and Fidelity in Group D.
Perennial bridesmaids, FBC Bank who have been three-time runners up to ZB Bank, headline Group B where they will face off against First Mutual, Nicoz Diamond and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
CBZ who are poised to win the league will be gunning for a rare double should they progress from Group A that also includes Old Mutual, Golden Knot and Micro King while Group C is made up of CABS, Stanchart, Agribank and Cimas.
FSSL chairman Thomas Nyadundu said the top two teams from each group would advance to the quarter-finals which are also scheduled for tomorrow while the semi-finals, third place play-off and the final have been pencilled in for the same venue on Sunday.
Nyadundu said there would also be individual accolades for the player of the tournament, the top scorer, top coach and the goalkeeper of the tournament.
Draw:
Group A – CBZ, Old Mutual, Golden Knot, Micro King
Group B – FBC, First Mutual, Nicoz Diamond, RBZ
Group C – CABS, Stanchart, Agribank, Cimas
Group D – ZB Bank, Ecobank, ZB Life, Fidelity
Online Reporter