Scottland FC head coach Norman Mapeza was full of praise for veteran forward and former Warriors captain Knowledge Musona, whose brilliant first-half brace guided the defending champions to a comfortable victory over a plucky Herentals side at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday.
The 35-year-old star player has been rolling back the years, finding the net in each of Scottland’s last three matches to take his recent tally to four goals. His red-hot form remains central to the club's relentless push for the summit as they look to retain their league title.
Just as he did against CAPS United just over a week ago, Musona needed only eight minutes to nose Scottland ahead. The clinical forward reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box, volleying it fiercely into the roof of the net to break the deadlock.
Barely 10 minutes later, the Smiling Assassin doubled the lead in spectacular fashion, curling a beautiful, trademark free-kick beyond the despairing dive of Herentals goalkeeper Tinotenda Takarinda.
That early double salvo was all Scottland needed to secure the maximum points.
Speaking after the match, a delighted Norman Mapeza lauded the veteran striker’s positional awareness and lethal instincts in front of goal.
"I think it's the timing for someone to get those goals. It's about being there at the right time," Mapeza said. "I think he's been doing that the past three games, that's why he scored goals. It's timing, perfect timing."
Despite the crucial win, which temporarily shot Scottland to the top of the league standings for 24 hours, Mapeza emphasised that there is still room for improvement if the team is to retain their crown.
- CAPS United dismiss player strike reports
- CAPS United rob Wha Wha
- CAPS Utd salvage point in four-goal thriller
- Inside sport: What has gone wrong at Dynamos?
Keep Reading
"Look, like I said, some decisions, we need to improve on some decisions. There are some moments where I feel we need to keep possession, but we end up giving away the ball," the coach noted. "So it's about game management; we need to improve on game management. And also, we need to improve on our man-to-man communication."
With the mid-season transfer window open, Mapeza confirmed that he looks to fortify his squad for the grueling second half of the campaign.
"Definitely we'll look for one or two players, but I can't really say on what positions. But we'll definitely look for one or two players, definitely," he added.
Scottland's joy at the top of the table was short-lived, as Hardrock reclaimed the top spot on Sunday following a dominant 3-0 home win over Simba Bhora.
The title race is now separated by the slimmest of margins.
Hardrock leads the pack strictly on goal difference with 31 points. Scottland sits closely in second place, holding a superior goal difference over third-placed CAPS United, who are also tied on 31 points.
CAPS United bounced back to winning ways on Sunday, snapping a four-match winless streak by defeating ZPC Kariba 3-2 in a five-goal thriller at Rufaro Stadium to keep the pressure mounted on the top two.
