Fungai Muderere
THE remodelled Chibuku Super Cup roared into life on Saturday in a cluster contest that produced a total of 25 goals in matches that were played in Bulawayo, Zvishavane, Mutare and Harare.
FC Platinum, were the biggest scorers in the first round of matches as they beat Whawha 6-0. This also means that the prison wardens are the club which conceded the greatest number of goals in a tournament that saw Chicken Inn’s George Majika get the first goal of the competition when he thrust the Gamecocks into the lead in the 15th minute with a well taken hard and low shot that beat diving Bulawayo City goalie Bhekimpilo Ncube from close range.
Obriel Chirinda, who was introduced as a second half substitute for equally pacey and stocky Brian Muza, got the assurance goal for the 2015 Premier Soccer League champions in stoppage time after his well taken strike from just outside the box deflated on defender Vincent Moyo to beat Ncube.
FC Platinum’s star player Rodwell Chinyengetere was the only forward that scored a hat trick in the opening fixtures of the cup tournament.
Silas Songani, a 2013 Soccer of the Year first runner up and Denver Mukamba, a 2012 Soccer Star of the Year, are the two players who managed to grab braces for FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum Stars respectively.
Songani opened the scoring in the 19th minute before Chinyengetere made it 2-0 eight minutes later. Chinyengetere had his brace in the 33rd minute as the 2014 Chibuku Super Cup winners led 3-0 heading into halftime.
With just over an hour played, Songani secured his brace and Chinyengetere completed his hat trick 10 minutes before the end.
FC Platinum had not finished the scoring as Ngwenya hammered in the sixth goal
Group One, which is made up of five teams based in Harare produced three draws (Dynamos 0-0 Herentals, Harare City 1-1 ZPC Kariba, Caps United 2-2 Yadah) and six triumphs.
There was only one goalless draw (Dynamos 0-0 Herentals) which also means from the big three- Highlanders, Caps United and Dynamos- Tonderayi Ndiraya’s DeMbare was the only grand old lady of Zimbabwean football that failed to find the back of the net.
Six clubs- Bulawayo City, Whawha, Dynamos, Herentals, Bulawayo Chiefs and Manica Diamonds in a contest that enters into round two on Saturday.
Six goalkeepers, Donovan Bernard of Chicken Inn, FC Platinum’s Petros Mhari, Future Sibanda of Highlanders, Dynamos’ Tiamon Mvula, Frank Kuchineyi who turns out for Herentals and Tatenda Makoni who does duty for new boys Cranborne Bullets managed to keep clean sheets for their respective clubs.
Match Day Results at a glance
Chicken Inn 2-0 Bulawayo City, Caps United 2-2 Yadah, Black Rhinos 4-1 Tenax
FC Platinum 6-0 Whawha, Dynamos 0-0 Herentals, Ngezi 3-1 Triangle, Harare City 1-1 ZPC Kariba, Bulawayo Chiefs 0-1 Highlanders, Manica Diamonds 0 Cranborne Bullets 1
