The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda in Harare
AS anticipated, high flying newcomers ZPC Kariba dominated the Castle Lager Soccer Stars of the Year selection with three of their players chosen among the most exceptional for this season at a ground-breaking electronic voting conducted in Harare yesterday.Leading the 16-team log standings going into this weekend’s last round of league matches with a chance of lifting the championship ahead of defending champions Dynamos, Kauya Katuruturu contributed their captain, goalkeeper Tendai Hove, wing-cum-striker Limited Chikafa and central defender Dennis Dauda to the list of 11 players deemed to have excelled during the course of the season. Their star player and vice-captain Tawanda Munyanduri was the most unfortunate as he did not garner enough votes to make it to the cream of players for this season.
Dynamos supplied two players, these being defensive rock Themba Ndlovu and holding midfielder Stephen Alimenda.
Highlanders forward Charles Sibanda, joint leading goal scorer on 12 goals with Howe Mine striker Kudakwashe Musharu ahead of today’s last round of matches, is the only player who made it for the second year running. Last year, Sibanda was voted for while turning out for FC Platinum. The list is completed by Musharu, Caps United midfielder Tendai Samanja, Hwange striker Evans Rusike and Harare City skipper David Kutyauripo.
The panelists, made up of journalists from media houses drawn from all over the country, coaches as well captains from the 16 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clubs, also voted for the Soccer Star of the Year, the two runners-up, Coach of the Year, an accolade which is hugely expected to go to ZPC Kariba mentor Saul Chaminuka, Goalkeeper of the Year where Hove is the leading contender and the Promising Young Player of the Year. Winners of these prizes as well the Referee of the Year, chosen based on the Match Commissioner’s assessments and the Golden Boot winner would be rewarded at a banquet to be staged in Harare next month.
The Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year will this year walk away with a cash prize of $6 000, up from the $5 000 last year’s winner Tawanda Muparati of Dynamos received for being the best player in the land last season.
Addressing the gathering just before the start of the voting process, Delta Beverages marketing manager Patricia Murambinda explained that the electronic system employed this year, was a move away from the manual process that has been used over the years so as to progress with the times.
Rodwell Thabe, the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League marketing, information and technology manager in his closing remarks applauded the whole selection process which progressed smoothly without any glitches.
Castle Lager Soccer Stars of the Year for 2014:
Stephen Alimenda, Themba Ndlovu (Dynamos), Tendai Hove, Dennis Dauda, Limited Chikafa (ZPC Kariba) Tendai Samanja (Caps United), Charles Sibanda (Highlanders) Evans Rusike (Hwange), Thabani Kamusoko (FC Platinum), David Kutyauripo (Harare City) Kudakwashe Musharu (How Mine).
