Sports

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande has conceded that he needs to contribute more in as far as his scoring goes and has set a plausible goals target before his retirement.

Katsande accepts that he not the most prolific scorer at Amakhosi. He often pops up in the right areas to hit the back of the net; however, he has failed to do so regularly.

The 32-year-old has in fact been unlucky in front of goal as he managed to hit the woodwork twice in their recent Telkom Knockout victory over SuperSport United – once from a penalty and once from open play – and did so in their previous encounter against Black Leopards too.

Often, the burly midfield enforcer also skies his efforts from close range, costing his side some valuable points – as he recently did in the Soweto Derby defeat to Orlando Pirates.

Katsande has since admitted that he needs to improve on his scoring capabilities, as is required of modern midfielders, but also stresses that he cannot neglect his defensive duties.

“Ja, obviously, you know modern football and modern midfielders, sometimes you go up once in a while to try your luck but at the same time it’s about finding the balance and knowing when to go up,” said Katsande.

“Because you can’t go up and expose the midfield, which is a key area in which you cover the front and the backline. So yes, I need to score more and contribute to the team.

“I can’t just contribute by tackling or winning possession, I also need to contribute by chipping in with some goals.”

The veteran Zimbabwean international says before retiring he would love to at least hit the 20-goal mark in Chiefs colours, but insists he will not put pressure on himself to do so.

“You know, as a player when you look back after retiring, you want to say, ‘No, but I managed to score at least 20 goals for Kaizer Chiefs’,” he added.

“I’m going to score more goals if given the opportunity to keep on going up. But on a serious note, it’s not something I could say I’m worried about.

“I just need to contribute towards the club’s success, in whatever [way] – even if I’m a goalkeeper, defender or a right winger – as long as I give my best, so the team achieves its objectives.”

Katsande has registered 13 goals since his arrival at Naturena in August 2011.

Kickoff.com

By Sports Reporter

DYNAMOS were knocked out of the Chibuku Super Cup when they lost 1-2 to Triangle in an ill-tempered semi-final at Rufaro which saw assistant referee Joseph Salani stretchered off after being hit by a missile thrown at him by hooligans housing some Dynamos supporters.

Salani was substituted following his injury.

Triangle goal-keeper Ronald Mudimu was also attended to after he was also attacked by hooligans.

In the match, Dynamos failed to replicate their rich vein of form in the recent past when they found themselves two goals down with just 12 minutes of play.

Kudzai Chigwida put Triangle ahead after just six minutes of play with Lameck Nhamo doubling the visitors’ advantage after 12 minutes.

Dynamos pulled a goal back through Marshal Machazane at the stroke of half time but that was not enough to stop Triangle from setting up a final with Harare City, who beat Caps United 2-1 on Saturday.

AFP

Over 80 people, including 30 police officers, were injured after fans invaded the pitch at an Algerian first division match at the weekend, according to official sources on Monday.

Clashes erupted at Saturday’s top-flight game between CA Bordj Bou Arreridj and MC Alger (MCA) around 200km south-east of Algiers.

A doctor reported up to 50 people “were admitted to hospital”, but none with serious injuries. The three most serious cases involved fractures.

None of the police officers were seriously injured either, a source told AFP, who also denied reports that an MCA player had been stabbed.

“There were no players” amongst the injured, the doctor confirmed.

Social media images showed supporters invading the pitch on the final whistle and confronting MCA players, some of whom had to climb over pitch-side barriers and take refuge amongst their club’s fans in the stands.

Images also depicted one of the MCA players attended to with cuts to his stomach.

“This player was hurt climbing over the iron barrier,” a police spokesman reported.

As Algeria’s chief of police Mustapha Labiri sent investigators to Bordj Bou Arreridj the Algerian professional football league punished CA Bordj Bou Arreridj with a four-match crowd ban.

Both sides’ goalkeepers were banned for three matches, each “for provoking crowd trouble”, while another player, CA’s Sibie Touhami, was handed a three-match ban, with one of the games suspended.

Algerian football has been plagued by almost daily violence for some years.

In 2014 Albert Ebosse, a Cameroon striker with Algeria’s JS Kabylie, was killed on the field by a projectile thrown from the stands.

But neither the shock triggered by the tragedy, nor sanctions or fair-play campaigns have succeeded in quelling the phenomenon.

Last December, clashes between rival fans at an amateur derby in eastern Algeria left one person dead.

In mid-April, more than 100 people were injured in clashes at an Algerian Cup semi-final, pushing the interior ministry to set up a commission of inquiry, determined to “put an end” to the violence.

THE PSG superstar has been linked with a sensational return to Camp Nou, but the club’s president insists no such transfer is afoot.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu insists that the club have no plans to re-sign Neymar.

Reports in Spain continue to speculate that the Catalan club are interested in bringing the Brazil international back to Camp Nou from PSG, to whom they sold him in August of 2017.

The French club paid a world record €222 million (£195m/$255m) to acquire Neymar’s signature, prising him away from the club where he had formed a fearsome attacking trio with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.

But Bartomeu insists that there is no prospect of a glorious return for the 26-year-old.

“Neymar? He left and there are no plans to bring him back,” he told Catalunya Radio.

“We don’t plan to sign anyone in January, unless the coaches ask for someone before then. It’s a smaller squad because we have B team players who can make the first team.”

The Barca president had his words echoed by vice-president Jordi Cardoner earlier this week, as he claimed that Neymar had not been discussed as a potential target.

Since joining PSG, Neymar has been in prolific form, scoring 39 goals in 41 games in all competitions, as well as registering 21 assists.

This season, thus far, he has scored 11 goals in 11 games, and defender Marquinhos does not expect his team-mate to go anywhere soon.

“I wish Real Madrid and Barcelona the best of luck in their attempt to bring Neymar away from here,” the defender sarcastically told reporters after his side’s 5-0 win over Amiens.

“People know what our president is like, how he is with his people and how he loves our important players.

“So I don’t see any reason why he should leave. He has even denied it on social media so I can’t speak for him, you should ask him.”

AFP

ORLANDO Pirates assistant coach Rhulani Mokwena has made an astonishing revelation on the club’s intentions to sign Khama Billiat in the recent transfer window.

KickOff.com initially caught wind of The Buccaneers’ efforts to sign the Zimbabwean international from Mamelodi Sundowns as early as January, before he was released in July.

Billiat eventually opted to join arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs instead, with Pitso Mosimane suggesting that he had been offered a lucrative deal that breaks records in terms of earnings in the PSL.

Mokwena, who worked with the 28-year-old at The Brazilians, has since commented on the reports that Pirates were after his services.

“I still have a very good relationship with Khama; we speak. I know that you guys know that we tried to sign Khama,” said Mokwena ahead of this weekend’s Soweto Derby.

“We decided at the last minute not to sign him. We had lots of talks with Khama, [between] myself and Khama, we were very close to bringing him to the Black and White.

“But we decided on protecting the changeroom more than anything else, because the ratio between the expense – and I’m not only talking about the salary, because I’ve heard a lot of talk about that, but the expense with regards to injuries and certain other factors.

“And the profit that we would get, we thought that it did not make sense. It’s not that Pirates lost out on the race to sign Khama; Pirates didn’t lose out, Pirates decided not to sign Khama.”

Kickoff.com

By Sports Reporter

PREMIERSHIP giants, Dynamos continued on their revival path with a 2-1 beating of Black Rhinos on an afternoon that saw fellow giants Highlanders lose to neighbours, Bulawayo City by the same margin in two Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches played Sunday.

At Rufaro Stadium, Dynamos opened the scores through a Valentine Kadonzo goals in the first half before Tapiwa Sibanda levelled matters through a beautiful free kick.

Marshal Machazane came late in the second half to restore the Dembare lead with what many saw as a hand ball situation to see the struggling former champions end the match with a 2-1 victory.

At Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo, Highlanders’ poor form this season continued with the match ending in a defeat.

Tafadzwa Sibanda put Bosso ahead after seven minutes with the goal coming through a chip.

The second half resumed with a changed Bulawayo City who saw Ozias Zibande score with a header a minute into the second period to punish his former pay masters.

A Sipho Ndlovu header later in the encounter ensured the derby ended 2-1 in favour of City.

At Gibbo Stadium, there were ugly scenes as home fans could not stomach Triangle’s 0-1 defeat to visiting Herentals.

Mutare City lost 0-2 to Yadah while Shabanie Mine became the first side to be relegated after a 0-1 home loss to Harare City.

THE 26-year-old Nottingham Forest defender made his competitive debut for Zimbabwe away in the DR Congo in a 2019 Afcon qualifier last week.

Newly-capped Warriors right-back Tendayi Darikwa has saluted his Warriors teammates and fans.

The England-born former Burnley star featured for 90 minutes when Zimbabwe beat DR Congo 2-1 away in Kinshasa last weekend, and again lasted the entire match in the 1-1 draw with the same side in Harare on Tuesday.

“I enjoyed the warm reception that I received from the players and supporters. The celebrations in the dressing room were great and I am making strides (in) learning Shona,” Darikwa told The Herald.

Prior to his debut, Darikwa’s international career hung in the balance following delays in obtaining a Zimbabwean passport, having expressed interest to represent the Southern African country a few years ago.

He had only featured for the Warriors in international friendly matches against Lesotho and Namibia last year, before finally making his maiden competitive appearance in Kinshasa last Saturday.

“I was so happy to get the chance to finally play for Zimbabwe,” Darikwa said.

“Obviously, playing away from home, my first match eased off the pressure on my part. I managed to gel into the team without (any) pressure at all.

“I cannot explain the excitement I felt playing in front of the home crowd in Harare. The fans were great.

y relatives, including my grandmother, also got a chance to watch me play and that was a very proud moment for me.

“We have a group of players that has a mixture of talent and experience.”

Darikwa will however not be available for next month’s Afcon qualifying trip to Liberia after picking up a yellow card in each of the matches against DR Congo home and away.

By Sports Reporter

FC PLATINUM consolidated their bid to retain the 2018 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title with a 1-0 defeat of Nichrut to open a seven point gap between them and title fellow title contenders Ngezi Platinum who were involved in a goalless affair with Chapungu on Saturday.

Rodwell Chinyengetere scored the all-important goal for the champions after 48 minutes of play in a match played at Ascot Stadium.

At Nyamhunga Stadium, home side ZPC Kariba beat Caps United 1-0 through a David Temwanjira strike after 18 minutes.

In a Bulawayo derby played same afternoon, home side Chicken Inn lost 0-1 to neighbours Bulawayo Chiefs.

With Saturday’s premiership round of matches, FC Platinum still top the log standings with 68 points from 30 games while Ngezi are on 61 points with the same number of games played.

Chicken Inn occupy third spot with 54 points, Triangle are fourth on 48 points and a game in hand, Caps United follow on number five with 44 while Highlanders are sixth on 44 points but also with a game in hand.

Struggling former champions Dynamos are in an unfamiliar number 13 spot on 29 games.

By Sports Reporter

TROUBLED premiership giants Dynamos date Black Rhinos this Sunday while fellow heavyweights Highlanders entertain neighbours Bulawayo City in two potentially explosive Castle Lager Premier Soccer league encounters to be played in Harare and Bulawayo respectively.

Dynamos, who are playing in their worst season in years, will be buoyed by their sweet 2-1 victory over city rivals Caps United a week ago but should be wary of a potential upset by the army side.

Hot and cold Highlanders look set to play their entertaining flowing football in the full knowledge they have nothing to lose from the derby after having already surrendered their 2018 title hopes.

In other fixtures, ZPC Kariba host Caps United at Nyamhunga Stadium on Saturday while championship chasing Ngezi Platinum entertain Chapungu at Baobab.

Nichrut hope to derail log leaders FC Platinum’s championship hopes when the two Midlands sides clash at Ascot Stadium while Chicken Inn and Bulawayo Chiefs will complete Saturday’s round of fixtures.

SUNDAY fixtures; Mutare City Vs Yadah (Vengere), Triangle Vs Herentals (Gibbo), Shabanie Vs Harare City (Maglas)

By Staff Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Senior Men’s Football Team have drawn 1-1 with DRC to maintain their three point lead at the top of Group G of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Warriors found themselves in front with just a minute into the game through a scrambled effort by Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Khama Billiat.

Knox Mtizwa thought he had put the hosts ahead moments later when his effort was ruled out for off-side.

The Zimbabweans were however unfortunate when impressive defender Teenage Hadebe was forced to beat his own goalkeeper while under pressure.

From that time, the Ovidy Karuru captained side stood its grounds and forced a hard fought draw with their highly rated opponents.

Giant goalie George Chigova was substituted in the first half through injury.

Zimbabwe maintain poll position with 8 points amassed from 4 matches played so far and remain the only unbeaten side among the four that are vying for the two slots to play with the best on the continent next year.

Fellow group opponents Liberia and Congo (Brazzaville) were set to play their fixture Tuesday evening.