Herentals U20 reclaimed the top spot in the Northern Region Soccer League after beating Simba Bhora 2-0 on Friday afternoon at Morris Sports Club with their coach Paul Benza taunting their opponents saying it was the easiest fixture for them since they were playing against ‘old ballies’.
It was billed the match of the season so far with Simba Bhora the highest scoring team in the league with 29 goals going into the match on top of the log standings on goal difference against a team with the meanest defence having conceded only two goals in ten matches.
It was also a battle between the Anza Quip Coach of the month for January Paul Benza of Herentals against the coach who inherited the award for the month of February Arthur ‘Tuts’ Tutani.
It was Benza who however triumphed owing to his organisational prowess particularly in defence which saw his team put up a possessional disciplined display recording their ninth clean sheet in 11 matches.
Milton Chimedza opened the scoring in the first half before regular scorer Salif Cheya sealed the victory in the second.
“At first the main problem that Simba Bhora had, they came here thinking they were going to score more goals. Maybe they thought that we are Cam & Motor and they opened and we managed to attack,” Benza said.
“For us it was the easiest for us so far. We were playing against people who thought they can just score many goals, they thought it was a boozers league, secondly they thought we were an easy team to beat and thirdly they forgot we were at home and being at home we were supposed to take home advantage.
“The ground is big especially for their old ballies because they are using old people. You cannot have a team that has 10 old people and think that you can win,” boasted the Herentals coach.
“For us it was just about giving the boys game time because we are not under pressure to be promoted since we have another team in the Premier Soccer League.
“If we are going to win the title, we are going to celebrate but our target is not about getting into the Premier Soccer League but to give a run to players so that they go play for our senior team or any other Premier Soccer League clubs.”
Simba Bhora coach Tutani who lost for the first time this season, conceded defeat and hopes to bounce back in the next match.
“We lost to a better side. It wasn’t our day but let’s we go back to the drawing and start again. All the best to the winning team, we came to the party late and started attacking late. We wasted some chances that came our way but all the same we are going to start again,” Tutani said.
The win takes Herentals U20 three points clear of Simba Bhora and four points ahead of third placed Golden Eagles who are not in action this weekend.
At the National Sports Stadium B Arena, Karoi United halted Harare City Cubs’ mini resurgence winning 1-0 with Tapiwa Tasiyana scoring the goal.
The win saw Karoi United leapfrog Chegutu Pirates into fifth position tied on 17 points with fourth placed Black Mambas who are in action Saturday away to Chinhoyi Stars.
Northern Region Soccer League Week 11 Fixtures
Friday 4 March:
Herentals U20 2-0 Simba Bhora
Harare City 0-1 Karoi United
Saturday 5 March:
Golden Valley 12:00 Trojan Stars (Chakari Stadium)
Commando Bullets 14:00 Ngezi U19 (Commando Barracks Stadium)
Cam & Motor 15:00 Chegutu Pirates (Chakari Stadium)
Chinhoyi Stars 15:00 Black Mambas (Chinhoyi Stadium)
Sunday 6 March:
CUMA Academy 15:00 Banket United (Chakari Stadium)
PAM FC 15:00 Come Again
Muriel Mine Stadium
• NRSL Times
