Weekend Predictions

Every Thursday, Zimsoccerfan waves its magic wand and tries to predict the outcome of the weekend’s Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League results.

This week, the local Premiership enters week number 18. Pacesetters Motor Action continue to lead the pack, and got some reprieve from Shabanie Mine yesterday who held their closest rivals Dynamos to a 1 all draw at Maglas Stadium in Zvishavane. The draw left the ten point gap between De Mbare and the Mighty Bulls firmly intact, as the Boys in Blue face their biggest fixture of the season, against old foes Highlanders at Babourfields. The Bulls date former Champions Monomotapa at Rufaro 24 hours earlier. Here is what we think will be the outcome:

Friday 24 Sept, 2010
Bantu Rovers Vs Eagles (Hartsfield Grounds)
The house that Methembe “Mayor” Ndlovu is building seems to be crumbling before it reaches window level. The relegation threatened “Thsova Guluva” need to find the points fast, and this just doesn’t appear to be the game they will do so. Eagles have not been at their best, but have shown that they may have the staying power to be in the Premiership for yet another season. A draw away from home will make the new Warriors Assistant Coach Friday Phiri a happy man, and he is almost assured of it.

This is not a game that many will be paying much attention to, but will have a huge bearing on the relegation dogfight come end of season. We think Eagles will go out there to avoid defeat, and they will be able to do so. A 1 all draw is most likely.


Saturday 25 Sept, 2010

Lengthens Vs. Douglas Warriors (Dzivarasekwa)

This will be a battle of old foes as Lengthens and Dougie settle issues that arise from their rivalry in the first division. Douglas Warriors had developed a reputation of being the near men of the Northern Region Division league as they would escort other teams, including The Happy People to the finishing line. They would now want to prove their mettle when they face one of the sides that once peeped them on promotion into the Premier League.

Life in the top flight hasn’t been easy for the Douglas Tanyanyiwa owned team, and with an injury likely to keep key player Admire Dzukamanja, arguably the most experienced in their rank out, they are likely to find the going tough at DZ. Lengthens do play well at Dzivarasekwa, and on a good day, they should be able to choke up a 2 – 0 win.

Monomotapa Vs. Motor Action (Rufaro)

Aside from the highly anticipated Battle of Zimbabwe Part II at B/F, this is easily the second biggest attraction this weekend. Given that it will be played a day before the Blue Army that supports Dynamos rallies behind its team at B/F, you can expect a lot of them to be there cheering on Monos.

Motor Action have become the latest rivals for De-Mbare, and the way they went about collecting maximum points in an ill tempered tie Vs. DeMbare earlier this season, plus how they have kept on collecting more on the trot, will sway thousands to back whoever they will be playing against. Monoz are likely to benefit heavily this Saturday. The former Champions have not been a convincing lot themselves. In fact ever since they won the Championship, they have failed to reproduce the form locally that saw them play in the group stages of the Orange CAF Champions League last season. They seem to have been content to do just enough to stay in mid table.

The game will be good, if not downright pulsating. But, supposing Alan Gahadzikwa and co. find their rhythm in the middle of the park, and William Kupera brings his shooting boots again, it is easy to expect another victory for the Joey Antipas coached side from Motor Action Sports Club. This is likely to end in a 2 - 1 win for the Bulls.

Shooting Starts Vs. Kiglon (Gwanzura)

Its very difficult to rate Shooting Starts’ performance this season. They have really been on and off, from being blasted 3 – 0 from a confidence lacking Caps United to bravely holding a marauding Motor Action goalless last week. One never knows what really to expect when they march onto the turf at Gwanzura come Saturday afternoon.

Kiglon’s performances will also not do much to help us predict what thy can do. Only last week, they showed how self destructive they can be when they allowed a seemingly out of sorts Hwange side come from 2 goals down to win the match at Rufaro. Give them Dynamos or Caps, and you will see the best out of Kiglon. Against other so called small teams, they become punching bags.

Having said that, we think veteran Elliot Matsika will once again rise to the occasion and give Coach Gishon “Gizha” Ntini something to smile about, come end of Saturday. A 1 – 0 win for the Stars is likely.

Sunday 26 Sept, 2010

Caps United Vs. Black Mambas (Rufaro)

If there is a side that is exciting to watch these days, it is none other than the yellow coloured Green Machine. Maybe the much talked about yellow strip was a sign of maturity that the team has attained since Moses “Bambo” Chunga took over from Lloyd “Llodza” Chitembwe a few weeks ago. Chunga has chalked up four wins on the trot, a no mean feat given that victory had eluded Chitembwe’s side for so long. Zimsoccerfans believe there is more to underperformance of a team than just the coach, but there comes a time when a coach just can’t find it in him to motivate the players, and a new one can come and use the same players to do wonders. This is what we feel Chunga is doing at Caps right now.

What makes this fixture interesting though is the fact that Mambas themselves have been going through some sort of mini revival. After sponsors Twalumba Holdings poured in some cash, and some high profile campaigners like ex Dynamos goalkeeper Willard Manyatera, Defender William Mapfumo as well as ex Lengthens and Warriors fringe striker Richard Mteki joined them, things have been sort of looking up for the police side. Technical Director Madinda Ndlovu will be hard pressed to justify his recent puzzling appointment into the Warriors technical team, and will hope his team will be buoyed by their 1 – 1 draw with his boyhood team Highlanders, to string a surprise against a highly jovial Makepekepe side. It will be a toll order.

Inasmuch as we love the David Vs. Goliath story, we are afraid we are not expecting miracles in this one. If Manyatera is able to keep the scoreline below 3, he would have done a great job. This shall go to Kepekepe and Chunga at 3 – 0

Gunners Vs. Shabanie Mine (National Sports Stadium)

The Champions seems to be another side on a revival. They have all of a sudden re-emerged to take up a top four place, just at a time when we were about to forget who the holders are. Norman Maroto has kept his goal scoring touch from last season, and might become one of the few modern day players to make it onto the Soccer Stars calendar for two consecutive years. It’s been a rarity these days. With his boots on, Shabanie might be in for a toast.

However, the asbestos miners have not been bad themselves, especially given that they are coming to Harare on the back of holding giants Dynamos 1 -1 at Maglas. But then again, one will be quickly reminded that that was at Maglas. John Ncube’s side play a shoddy game the moment they leave Zvishavane and that is likely to see them go down to 2 more goals from Norman Maroto, and they would have done well to offer a response. 2 - 1 to Gunners!

Highlanders Vs. Dynamos (Babourfields)

Those in the know call this the Battle of Zimbabwe Part II. It’s by far the Pick of the Week, and it wouldn’t have come at a better time, tension wise. The last time the two met, it couldn’t be settled on footballing terms. Now the High Court has been called in to try and force a re-match. Rivalries hardly come any bigger than this. Forget that Highlanders have not been at their best, or that De-Mbare have been the punching bag of their Orange CAF Champions League group. All of a sudden, all the underperformers find their rhythm. These are the kinds of games that turn players’ careers up side down, as well as down side up. Ask a guy called Dimitre Bebatov what games of this nature do to your confidence.

Although he led his side in some grueling encounters on the African safari, Dynamos Coach Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe will find no better match than his first one in charge, the one that saw his side, led by one Cuthbert Malajila clobber Bosso 4 – 0 one Sunday afternoon at Rufaro last season. Highlanders’ fans will breathe a sigh of relief there is no Malajila to talk about this time.

The best we will hope for is that this one will see the full ninety minutes being played. Even if its so, we doubt there will be anything to separate the two sides. Yes, a draw will do more harm to De Mbare than Bosso, and De Mbare have a knack of playing their best at B/F, but we got this hunch this one will see a share of spoils, and sorry to the fans, we don’t see no goals being scored. Both strike forces have been so blunt in front of goal this season. It will be good, explosive, entertaining, very good value for money, but no goals. 0 - 0.

Hwange Vs. FC Victoria (Colliery)

This one seems to be a no brainer. Hwange are tough at home, ask Motor Action. They might have come up with three points, but they were made to sweat for it. They also showed that they can do it away from home with a dramatic 3 -2 come back win at Rufaro against Kiglon last week, and seem strong and prepared enough to overhaul the Masvingo based FC Victoria. 3 – 1 to the hosts.

Hey, we are no authorities at this. This was arrived at after some amateur born throwing, the same technique we have been using to try to win the Lotto with no luck ever since we turned 18. So, you might fancy taking us on a Bone throwing competition and come up with your own predictions. Perfect the art now, because soon we shall be offering prizes for the most accurate predictions