Although the focus of attention this week is whether champions Dynamos will complete their rare feat of retaining a league and cup double when they play Monomutapa in the Mbada Diamonds Cup, Bosso’s whirlwind year, albeit ending with no silverware for the Bulawayo giants, is still a talking point.
When the season began, then newly-appointed Zambian-born coach, Kelvin Kaindu, vowed that he would use his debut season to transform the side he once starred for into a world-beater and then contest for the league crown. Halfway through the season, Bosso were favoured to lift their first crown in six years. Today, four days after the season ended, they can blame it on a number of things, including that penalty miss by star midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa at the first “Battle of Zimbabwe” at Barbourfields; the boardroom gaffe by the ZIFA Appeals Committee on the violence-marred Dynamos-Hwange game for which the Harare giants had been docked points by the PSL; the 0-0 draw with Harare City at Barbourfields; and the defeat by Monos of 3-0 in Harare which saw them booted them out of the Mbada Cup.
All these factors saw Dynamos storm the podium and lift the championship. The team remains in “ready” mode to do the same in the Mbada Cup. However, when the season is broken down, the Bulawayo giants – albeit without silverware – were still some of the season’s biggest winners. With their best signing of the season, Masimba Mambare, and goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda tipped for the Soccer Star of the Year award, their stars also swept silverware during monthly awards.
Mambare was voted the best player for July, August and September, his calendar-mates Mthulisi Maphosa and Sibanda won for the months of June and October respectively. Captain Innocent Mapuranga also made it into the calendar. The ever-green Eric Mudzingwa could have made it had he not accumulated more than six yellow cards during the season.
Kaindu also looks set to win the Coach of the Year award, to be announced on December 7.
Soccer Star of the Year finalists
Ariel Sibanda, Innocent Mapuranga, Masimba Mambare, Mthulisi Maphosa (all Highlanders) Denver Mukamba, Partson Jaure (both Dynamos) Felix Chindungwe, Kudakwashe Mahachi ( both Chicken Inn), Ronald Chitiyo (Monomotapa), Rodwell Chinyengetere (Hwange) Nelson Mazivisa (Shabanie Mine).
Post published in: Football