HARARE - AS the league season staggers towards the half way stage, questions have emerged as to whether Motor Action have the capacity to defend their title - the first time that a small team like the Mighty Bulls will have achieved this feat in the history of the premiership.
Only the traditional big guns Dynamos, CAPS United and Highlanders have managed to win back-to-back titles.
Motor Action, formed from the ashes of Black Pool in 2000, captured the imagination of domestic football with a captivating performance which saw them winning the league title at the expense of Dynamos last term. It was a very close race that had to be decided on goal difference. This year Motor Action appear to be bullish after moving to third place following an emotional 1-0 victory over premiership debutantes Blue Ribbon – who have been enjoying a fine run under the guidance of Misheck Chidzambwa.
The Mighty Bulls have now amassed 13 points from six games – the same as leaders CAPS United and Chicken Inn. But they are below them because of an inferior goal difference.
In 2008 Norman Mapeza’s Monomotapa won the coveted league title at the expense of Dynamos before Gunners beat the Glamour Boys to the challenge in the last lap of the league race to lift their maiden league title in two years of elite football. But the two teams failed to defend their league titles.
CAPS United last won back-to-back titles when they lifted the crown under Charles Mhlauri in 2004 before going to the podium again the following year.
But Motor Action assistant coach David George said this week they did not want to put the players under pressure but remained confident of successfully defending the title.
“It’s still early to talk about that. The challenge for us right now is to stay focused right up to the final whistle. It is that ability to withstand the pressure that can give us the championship again but we do not want to be carried away at this stage although we are playing well. We will take each game as it comes. We are not worried about what others are doing but we are simply focusing on our assignments,” George said.
Post published in: Football