By Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE football champions FC Platinum have sent a condolence message to Daily News assistant editor Gift Phiri, a staunch supporter of the team who died Sunday morning following a long illness.
The Zvishavane based outfit posted on Twitter saying the fraternity has lost a passionate scribe.
Phiri died after having been admitted at a Harare private hospital for some time.
By Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders player and coach Barry Daka is nomore.
The news was announced by the club in its Facebook page Thursday.
“We have learnt with shock and disbelief the passing on of veteran coach and club legend Barry Daka who passed on this (Thursday) morning. We would like to convey our deepest condolences to the Daka family, and all football stakeholders who identify with this legend. #RestInPeaceDaka
The club did not reveal any more details about the death of the legend.
By Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE has been drawn against neighbours South Africa, Ghana and Ethiopia in Group G of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with finals to be played in Qatar.
The draw was conducted in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday.
There are 10 groups from which the winners will earn automatic qualification to the next phases of the competition.
Zimbabwe has never qualified for the world’s highest football tournament while South Africa and Ghana have both been there with the African economic giant having hosted the 2010 edition of the extravaganza.
A football loving country, Zimbabwe’s closest opportunity of qualifying for the World Cup was back in the 1990s when they lost to Cameroon with just 90 minutes separating the legendary Dream Team from a berth in the America 1994.
The current Warriors squad has no substantive coach.
CAF African WC qualifying groups in full:
Group A: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Djibouti,
Group B: Tunisia, Zambia, Mauritania, Equatorial Guinea,
Group C: Nigeria, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Liberia
Group D: Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Malawi
Group E: Mali, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda
Group F: Egypt, Gabon, Libya, Angola
Group G: Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia
Group H: Senegal, Congo, Namibia, Togo
Group I: Morocco, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan
Group J: DR Congo, Benin, Madagascar, Tanzania
By Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE football export Marvelous Nakamba (pictured) came in as a second half substitute but could not help his Aston Villa survive a humiliating 6-1 drubbing by a Sergio Aguero powered Manchester City in an English Premiership clash played in Birmingham.
A brace by Riyad Mahrez, another by Aguero and a Gabriel Jesus strike on the stroke of half time saw City go into the half time break leading by 4-0.
After the break, the hosts tried to impose themselves into the game but were denied possession by the English champions who enjoyed an overall 71 percent of the ball in the match.
Nakamba was introduced after 64 minutes when his team was already trailing 5-0.
City completed their half dozen goal with Aguero netting his hat-trick after 81 minutes.
An injury time penalty converted by Villa was not enough to end the blushes.
By Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders Football Club mentors Erol Akbay (pictured) and Hendrikus Pieter de Jongh are among a group of foreign coaches who have expressed interest to coach the Zimbabwe Senior National Football Team.
Akbay coached the Bulawayo based Zimbabwean giants between 2016 and 2017.
He has also coached another local premiership side, Ngezi Platinum 2019.
““I think I am the right man for the job right now because I know Zimbabwean players and I know what Zimbabwean people want,” the Dutch coach was quoted as saying.
Pieter de Jongh, the most recent coach to exit the Highlanders dressing room, is also reportedly keen on the Warriors job.
Other foreign coaches said to be interested in coaching the country’s biggest football team are Span’s Manuel “Manolo” Marquez Roca, Hans Michael Weiss of Germany, Kosta Papic of Serbia and Zdravko Logarusic of Croatia.
Former Orlando Pirates, Rwanda and Uganda national teams coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic has also been linked with the Warriors post, although a source said the gaffer never applied for the job.
Chicken Inn gaffer Joey Antipas, the most recent coach is also keen on the top coaching job.
Zimbabwe will this year resume its 2022 World Cup and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations campaigns.
By Sports Reporter
NOMADIC British coach Mark Harrison (pictured) has been linked with a move to Zimbabwe football giants, Highlanders as the club seeks a replacement for Dutchman Pieter de Jongh who ditched the club last month at the expiry of his contract.
Bosso chairman confirmed the Bulawayo based club was hiring a British coach but declined to name him.
“We have faxed the contract to the coach. What I can say is that he is British, but for now I can’t reveal his identity until he has put pen to paper, but everything is on course,” said Highlanders’ chairman Kenneth Mhlophe.
He urged members not to worry about the new coach’s remuneration, as they have a sound and professional arrangement with a clique of club members that will foot all expenses.
“The package is not an issue; it’s all in order. We are a brand as Highlanders and would not get into an agreement that will soil the image of our club,” said Mhlophe.
By Sports Reporter
UNSETTLED Warriors skipper, Knowledge Musona is leaving his club, Anderlecht with reports linking him to a move to another Belgian side Sint-Truiden in the January transfer window.
South African media reports also say that Sundowns are also keen on securing the services of the former Kaizer Chiefs hitman.
Musona has been the leading light in a rejuvenated Zimbabwe National Football team generation that has now made it a habit to qualify for the biennial Africa Cup of Nations after the country had been making many failed attempts since independence.
The deadly striker has seen career fortunes suffer while at Belgian powerhouse Anderlecht‚ where he featured in just eight matches and scored once since a transfer from KV Oostende in July 2018.
He spent the past six months on loan at Lokeren‚ where he played just six league games and scored one goal.
The 29-year-old shooter is exiting the club when he still had two years remaining on his contract.
By Sports Reporter
PREMIERSHIP giants, Dynamos and Highlanders are set to renew their old rivalry when the two sides clash in a potentially explosive highlight encounter of the $1,5 million 2019 Chibuku Super Cup First Round fixture at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Highlanders come into the match with all the bragging rights having twice upstaged the Harare side in the Independence Cup final in April and edging them in a Premier Soccer League match that was played in Bulawayo June this year.
However, Dynamos will be hoping that the two teams’ current forms in the premiership race will carry the day after their rivals have struggled for traction since the competition started in March this year.
Bosso sit a precarious one point above the relegation zone while Dynamos, who are enjoying 11 matches without tasting defeat, are number six on the premiership ladder.
Of the two rivals, Dynamos have the more realistic hopes of pulling a smash and grab affair in the scramble for the premiership title while Highlanders are left with the only choice of winning the Chibuku Super Cup for them to emerge with a silverware in a competition involving many contesting teams.
Other Super Cup matches will see a Saturday double header starting with Black Rhinos against TelOne (National Sports Stadium, 1 pm) while CAPS United and record Chibuku Super Cup winners Harare City will finish the business of the day.
Ngezi Platinum clash with Mushowani Stars at Baobab Stadium while ZPC Kariba take on Hwange at Nyamhunga Stadium.
On Sunday, Chicken Inn take on Manica Diamonds at Luveve Stadium.
The matches by FC Platinum against Chapungu and Triangle United against Herentals have been set for later dates as FC Platinum and Triangle are engaged in continental inter-club competitions.
The winner of the tournament earns the ticket to represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.
By Staff Reporter/BBC
ZIMBABWE football international, Marvelous Nakamba (pictured) says he wants to use his time at English premier league side, Aston Villa to promote his country and inspire the next generation of footballer stars.
The 25 year old has featured in two league games for his new paymasters since joining them from Belgian side Club Brugge in August.
Nakamba told the BBC Sport that by breaking into the world’s most illustrious football league, he was also representing his countrymen, most of who have found it tough to play in England.
“It’s good for my country to have someone representing them and I also think it’s good for the upcoming players, the young ones back home,” he said.
“I think they can believe and have faith that nothing is impossible.”
The midfielder is the fourth Zimbabwean to play in the English top-flight league after former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobelaar, Coventry City star Peter Ndlovu and Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwaru.
He says having the three former Zimbabwe players as a reference point has helped him adapt to the English game.
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.
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