Sports roundup with GRACE CHIRUMANZU

Gunners played impressively against the defending champions, Dynamos, in an exciting CBZ premier soccer league match played at Gwanzura stadium on June 16. The new boys fell to a second half defensive blunder that saw their 1-2 defeat.

Having received Z$20 Billion worth of prize money for the player of the month just before kick-off, Edward Sadomba, scored twice to earn Dynamos three points.

The first came in the 33rd minute, when midfielder, Desmond “Gazza” Maringwa blazed a shot a few metres away from the box. Gunner’s goalie, L. Makwavarara’s made a commendable save but it must have been too much for him to hold it safe as he watched a speedy Sadomba packing it into the nets with his right foot.

Gunners came in with an equalizer two minutes after the breather, through substitute Thanks Tengwe.  It took three brilliant free kick passes for the premier league novices to level the score line.

 

Zim girls beat powerhouse

The under-18 national basketball girls’ team beat the regional powerhouse, Angola, 58-44 in a second leg face-off of the Zone Six Championships, played at the Harare City Sports Centre, June 10.

Rachel Makoni was the top scorer for the hosts with 21 points after her outstanding shooting in their first victory against Angola on June 10. Angola’s Mercian Fernandes scored the most for her side, but her 11 points were not enough to claim victory against the Zimbabwe schoolgirls.

Angola Basketball Union co-odinator, Lugigilo Vangue, commended Zimbabwe’s fighting spirits saying, “They are more experienced than our team.”

National team coach, Ngoni Mukukula, was impressed by his charges’ performance attributing “great team work” for their victory.

Angola is one of the region’s favorites at basketball showcases. Their schoolboys are the defending African Nations Champions and their senior women side beat Zimbabwe at the regional showdown last year.

Meanwhile, their countrymen, the Zimbabwe national U/18 struggled against heavyweights, Mozambique. Sources within the basketball fraternity have questioned the appointment of Kizito Mudzviti as their head coach.

“Mudzviti is a U.Z Stars coach and his team was not even in the top three when the Harare league came to an end. Honestly what can he teach these young stars?” a sports fan said.

Muhoni loses finger in accident

Dynamos gun-man, a former Black Rhinos striker, Lazarus Muhoni, narrated his traumatizing story of how he lost his left hand finger attending his car after a breakdown in Harare.

“Suddenly there was a funny sound on one of my car’s wheels. There was a problem with the back wheel and I took out a jack and solved it successfully. But just as I was taking off the jack, it slipped and the car went down, cutting off my finger,” Muhoni said.

He missed his team’s encounter against Gunners, at Gwanzura stadium, last Sunday because of the injury.

“I spent the whole week in hospital after undergoing an operation,” he told The Zimbabwean.

The Dynamos player is likely not going to feature for his side’s league matches until next month.

Muzvidziwa confident of karatekas

Former Mas Oyama Kyokushinkan karate Dojo (Club) secretary general, Sensei Pasi Panodya Muzvidziwa, expressed confidence over the country’s junior fighters to take part in the 5th annual Len Barnes Memorial Tournament, set for South Africa’s port city of Cape Town.

“Zimbabwe’s karatekas have always proved a force to reckon with at regional competitions,” Muzvidziwa said.

“Their participation at competitive junior tournaments helps prepare them for much tougher fights. The tournament features karatekas from Swaziland, which increases the level of competition,” Muzvidziwa said.

He called on the corporate world to assist in the martial arts as he described them as “a game that not only teaches respect but empowers women”.

This year’s regional junior karate showdown is set to feature invited participants from the home of martial arts, Japan.

Meanwhile, the Kyokushin Union of Zimbabwe has named a team of 23 junior fighters to represent the country in this year’s competition. Among the fighters are the defending champions of the Under 8 category, Tadiwa Gatsi (gold), Stephen Mulembasoja (silver) and Brett Kondowe (bronze).

Warriors to make amends

The Warriors will plunge into a tricky encounter against the Harambee Stars of Kenya, at Rufaro stadium on June 22. This is a reverse fixture of the continental Group two, 2010 World/Nations Cup campaign, as they seek to make amends after a painful 0-2 massacre in Nairobi.

Trailing two points behind Kenya, the Warriors are now second place in group standings, with Guinea on the third position with Namibia in the lead.

It will be swim or sink for the Warriors. A loss will unleash a forceful pressure on their side, with Guinea almost closing in, allowing Kenya to take charge with a huge margin.

Not only football fanatics, but every patriotic Zimbabwean will be looking at Brazilian-born national team coach, Jose Valinhos. They will also be hoping Namibia will either win or hold Guinea in Conakry on the same day, as the Warriors seek to reclaim first place.  

  

Caps win at last

PHEW! Caps United fans sighed with relief at Gwanzura stadium, June 14, as the former champions grabbed their first three points of the CBZ premier soccer league, in seven matches characterized by draws and loses, following a 1-nil defeat over Lengthens.

The all-important goal came from Nyasha Mushekwi in the 47th minute. Just before Mushekwi scored, Mashiri had missed a penalty. The goal that followed saved him from shouldering the blame for the victory starved “Green Machine” supporters, had the match ended in another stalemate.

Caps United had been awarded a penalty after a foul by Dumiso Khanye. Mashiri was the man to convert the penalty but he was a great disappointment to the Makepe-Kepe followers, after he hit the cross bar.

Hasmonia Ziso proved outstanding, slicing through the Lengthens defense before passing to an unmarked Mushekwi who sent in a low shot with seven minutes to time.

Head coach, Jostein Mathuthu’s decision to introduce Mushekwi as a substitute for Lulu Milanzi proved to pay off after a lifeless show by Milanzi.

Results: Caps F.C 0-Shooting Stars, Highlanders 3-0 Motor Action, Monomotapa 4-1 Eastern Lions, Underhill 0-0 Lancashire Steel,  Masvingo United 1-0 Kiglon, Chapungu 0-3 Sundowns.