CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League champions Caps United and runners-up, FC Platinum have contributed six of the players on the 2016 Soccer Star of the Year calendar following a fierce battle in a very close race.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
A panel consisting of Premier Soccer League (PSL) head coaches, club captains and football writers tasked to come up with the outstanding 11 players in the just-ended season, came up with the largely expected group.
Caps United’s two full-backs, Hardlife Zvirekwi and Ronald Pfumbidzai, made the cut as did Golden Boot Award winner, Leonard Tsipa.
Zvirekwi and Pfumbidzai were consistent and influential in Caps United’s title charge, playing 28 and 25 games for the club respectively.
Tsipa, who turns 35 on January 25, threw age out of the window to score 11 goals and edge Hwange’s Gift Mbweti and FC Platinum striker, Walter Musona to the top goalscorer accolade.
FC Platinum, who finished two points shy of Caps United’s total of 63, provided Musona, goalkeeper, Petros Mhari and Winston Mhango.
Hwange FC, who spent the season in the lower rungs of the table, have striker Mbweti, who was outstanding with his finishing.
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Third-placed Highlanders, who were in the first year of Erol Akbay’s coaching reign, saw defender, Peter Muduhwa making the cut, but Simon Munawa, Rahman Kutsanzira and Bruce Kangwa, who scored seven goals before his move to Tanzania, failed to make the grade.
Former champions, Chicken Inn contributed Clemence Matawu, with Ngezi Platinum’s Liberty Chakoroma tagging along after enjoying a good season with the top-flight debutants.
Harare giants, Dynamos, who only managed a fifth-place finish, have Godknows Murwira on the calendar.
The sponsors, Delta Beverages this year relaxed the requirements for eligibility for selection, where a player was only ruled out if they picked 10 disciplinary points.
Each yellow card incurred one disciplinary point, while a red card carried two points. Only Dynamos’ Dominic Mukandi was disqualified after picking up eight yellow cards and one red.
The overall Soccer Star of the Year, his two runners-up, coach, referee, goalkeeper and promising Under-20 player of the year were also voted for, but will only be revealed at an awards dinner on Friday.
Lloyd Chitembwe and Norman Mapeza will be rivals in the race for Coach of the Year, while Akbay and Tonderai Ndiraya of Ngezi Platinum Stars have an outside chance.
The 2016 Soccer Stars of the Year:
Liberty Chakoroma (Ngezi Platinum), Clemence Matawu (Chicken Inn), Gift Mbweti (Hwange), Winstone Mhango (FC Platinum), Petros Mhari (FC Platinum), Walter Musona (FC Platinum), Peter Muduhwa (Highlanders), Godknows Murwira (Dynamos), Ronald Pfumbidzai (Caps United), Leonard Tsipa (Caps United), Hardlife Zvirekwi (Caps United).
