The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
TINO BENZA scored the first Premier Soccer League goal in 691 days and there were also two hat-tricks and two big scorelines when the 2021/2022 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League roared into life last week.
In fact, 22 goals were scored as action resumed.
Coincidentally, the same number of goals were scored on Match Day One in 2019, which turned out to be the last season league football was played.
As fate would have it, the last goal of the 2019 season was scored at the National Sports Stadium, the same venue where Benza scored the opening goal of the current season when Herentals edged Harare City 1-0 on November 5.
Before that, the last PSL match that had been played at the giant venue was when Manica Diamonds edged Black Rhinos by a similar margin on December 15, 2019.
A long Covid-19-induced hiatus subsequently followed.
“It’s exciting to be back in league football business. It has been long since we last played in the league and we are highly expectant,” ZPC Kariba coach Godfrey Tamirepi said.
“We will see how the season unfolds, but I think we will have a say in the marathon.”
His side drew 0-0 against CAPS United at Nyamhunga Stadium last Saturday.
The blistering start to the 2021/2022 season could set the tone for a potentially nerve-wrecking marathon.
Platinum miners FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars posted huge victories as a statement to other title contenders.
Champions FC Platinum showed the gulf that exists between them and newboys Tenaz with a thumping 6-1 win.
It was the highest-scoring match in an opening week fixture since 2016.
Ngezi also showed their class when they hammered Bulawayo City 5-0 at Baobab Stadium, thanks to a hat-trick by Nyasha Chintuli.
Could the Platinum teams dominate?
From their performances in the Chibuku Super Cup, the two teams look solid.
They both reached the semi-finals in convincing fashion.
Ngezi finished fourth in 2019, but coach Rodwell Dhlakama made use of the long break to secure some big signings as he tries to win a maiden league title for the Mhondoro side.
Highly rated midfielder Denver Mukamba, seven-time league winner Devon Chafa, Wellington Taderera, Marvelous Mukumba, Anelka Chivandire, Kudzai Chigwida, Nigel Makumbe, goalkeeper Marion Chang, Tendai Matindife, Junior Zindoga, creative midfielder Last Jesi and Chintuli are now part of the cast.
This has left unassuming coach Dhlakama believing that his side has a chance of wrestling the title from rivals FC Platinum.
“The chances are bright. We played FC Platinum in the preliminary stage of the Chibuku Super Cup, we lost one and we won one, they are the former champions.
“We also played Chicken Inn (and beat them) in the quarter-finals, they finished second in 2019. We also managed to assess our squad in terms of competence going forward and we are happy, but that cannot give us the confidence that we are going to win the league without working hard.”
The veteran gaffer thinks stiff competition could come from traditional giants Dynamos and Highlanders, who have been buoyed by a huge cash injection from fuel giants Sakunda Holdings.
“Of course there is CAPS United, there is Highlanders and Dynamos.
“FC Platinum, Chicken Inn and some newcomers who are knocking on the door will also be in there with a chance,” Dhlakama said.
Left winger Walter Vuwa (20) was on target for Ngezi, becoming the latest youthful player to announce his arrival in a season that could see young players rising to the occasion.
Dynamos have 18-year-old Bill “Speedy Gonzalez” Antonio, who now has a national cap, as well as striker Luke Musikiri and midfielder Hamilton Gomba, both 17-year-olds.
FC Platinum have also unleashed winger Panashe Mutimbanyoka (19), left-back Kelvin Mangiza (20) and striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya (22), who scored a brace when they overcame Tenax.
Apart from Benza, Herentals are also have a talented midfielder Calum English-Brown, whose creativity caught Moses Chunga’s eye.
Former Warriors coach and talent scout Wieslaw Grabowski wants local clubs to give teenagers a chance, “as this will help build a strong Under-20 national team”.
“I am for the idea that coaches should feel obligated to play these 18-year-olds because they are the future. Not this idea of recycling old and wasted players,” said Grabowski.
The 2021/2022 season could also offer a breakthrough for some unheralded and yet talented players who were bogged down by the Covid-induced break.
Shadreck Nyahwa, who scored the solitary goal as Dynamos beat Yadah FC in controversial style last weekend, tops the list.
The former Bulawayo Chiefs player, who enjoys scoring against Yadah from the days when he was still at Bantu Rovers, also grabbed a contender for goal of the tournament when DeMbare beat Walter Magaya’s side 4-0 in a Chibuku Super Cup preliminary round.
“I am happy with my overall performance, but one thing I have realised is that Dynamos are a big team and you need to have a strong mentality,” said the 22-year-old rising star.
Black Rhinos’ gangly striker Tawanda Macheke; Lloyd Katongomara, who fired a hat-trick when Manica Diamonds walloped Whawha last weekend; Harare City centre-back Hastings Chapusha; Gareth Madhake (Black Rhinos) and the evergreen Wonder Kapinda (Cranborne Bullets) might also announce their arrival on the big stage.
Forward Malvin Mkolo (25) and striker Billy Vheremu (24) of Bulawayo Chiefs are ones to watch at Amakhosi, who are coached by Portuguese coach Nilton Terroso.
However, for across-town rivals Bulawayo City, it’s all about survival, as they brace for a tough return to the elite league.
Philani “Beefy” Ncube’s side got off to the worst start against Ngezi.
“We just need to survive relegation. What is important is to turn this defeat into a positive result in our next fixture,” Ncube said.
Rhinos coach Herbert Maruwa plans to pick up “as much points as possible in the first half of the season”.
“It will be difficult in the second half of the season because many teams will be fighting for a cause.”
The army side beat Highlanders 2-0 at the National Sports Stadium, but Bosso coach Mandla Mpofu is not fazed.
“The good thing is that we are sticking to our philosophy of wanting to play. It’s only one game, we have 33 games to come. We can recover,” said Mpofu.
