Sports

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.

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