Football
Simba Mushati, Special to ESPN 6y

Zim PSL: Bosso, Ngezi, Platinum the early pace-setters

Six matches into the new Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League season, and the table is beginning to assume a familiar look, with FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum tied on 16 points up top.

Highlanders and Chicken Inn are not far off in third and fourth respectively.

CAPS United, on the other hand, are trying their best to remain relevant under the new order, but the same cannot be said of fellow traditional heavyweights Dynamos, who continue to languish at the foot of the standings.

The 21-time champions finished runners up last season, and misconstrued a couple of high-profile pre-season victories as evidence they were now ready to go all the way, only to find themselves in a big mess when the real action started.

Meanwhile, it has been party after party in Bulawayo, where unbeaten Highlanders are scripting a beautiful storyline.

Prior to the season's kick-ff, few would have entertained the notion of a Highlanders side looking primed for a sustained title assault so soon after the purported shedding off of the old guard to pave way for fresh talent.

Six matches into the 2018 season, however, and Madinda Ndlovu's men have won four and drawn two to remain tantalising close to the top.

The excitement has been palpable among their support base, and particularly so after the encouraging performance in the 2-2 draw against a formidable Chicken Inn side on Sunday.

The Bulawayo giants could still go on to collapse and spoil the atmosphere, as has happened ever so often since their last championship triumph back in 2006, yet nothing can stop the Bosso faithful from enjoying the moment.

After so many false starts, could this be their year?

The competition is stiff though, with Ngezi and Platinum having apparently worked on their weaknesses from last season and looking good to go.

Platinum currently lead Ngezi on goal difference, with both teams having won five matches and drawn once.

Still under the guidance of assistant coach Lizwe Sweswe in the absence of the stricken Norman Mapeza, Platinum seem to have rectified the problems upfront after seeing their title charge last term nearly derailed by a blunt strikeforce.

The Miners have scored a league-high 11 goals, while their defence has remained tight as ever with just one conceded.

Their only draw so far has come against CAPS United (0-0), but the next five matches should provide clues as to whether they have truly overcome their demons.

Platinum next play Bulawayo City, Mutare City, Black Rhinos, Herentals and Triangle, and these are exactly the sort of lowly opposition who have often troubled them.

Ngezi, for their part, had their title challenge derailed by a porous defence last time out, with the 30 goals they conceded turning out to be the highest in the top five.

Ndiraya has reorganised things, with Warriors goalkeeper Donovan Bernard taking over in goal while Liberty Chakoroma has reverted to the centre-back position.

With forward Terence Dzukamanja showing he has recovered his scoring touch after some injury setbacks, Ngezi now seemingly posses both the solidity at the back and the quality in attack to overcome the inconsistency which blighted their 2017 campaign.

It will be a huge test for both sides, more so though for a Highlanders team who must prove they now have enough muscle to match the best.

Ndlovu has so far transformed Highlanders from the punch-bag they had turned into by the end of last term into a cohesive and effective machine. Remarkably, he has done so without any high-profile arrivals.

In fact, the most notable movement at Highlanders during the close season was through the exit door as the returning Ndlovu discarded with several veterans.

Yet the former Warriors forward has also been careful enough not throw away the baby with the bathwater, and what has been on show at Highlanders is a delicate mix of youth and experience.

Midfielders Adrian Silla and Brian Banda, both aged 22, and Godfrey Makaruse (21) have been around for the past three or so seasons, and bring mobility and vitality to the side.

From among the regular starters therefore, only 21-year-old Nigel Makumbe, signed from Platinum, and former Black Leopards midfielder Ben Musaka, are top-flight novices.

The likes of Gabriel Nyoni, MacClive Phiri, captain Honest Moyo and goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda are providing the stability with their years of experience in the top flight.

So far so good for Highlanders, but their next five matches, which include clashes against Ngezi and CAPS, should give a clearer indication of their potential going forward.

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