GOAL SCORING SENSATION EMERGES 20-year-old scores 26 goals
PREMIERSHIP teams are reportedly knocking on Division Onebound Chiwororo’s doors seeking the services of top goal scorer, Leeroy Mbewe, who ended the season with 26 goals.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League strikers would be looking at Mbewe’s total with envy as the top goal scorer, Leonard Tsipa, has only managed to bang in 11 goals with two games to go before the season ends.
Chiwororo topped the 2016 Division Two log with 67 points and scored a total of 83 goals.
The team’s manager, Morris Mukwiti said they have been receiving enquiries from several Premiership outfits that include Highlanders, Chicken Inn and How Mine.
He added they are ready to give the youngster a chance to taste Premiership football if they receive any good offers.
Mbewe (20), a product of the team’s juniors, Mpumelelo, was a marvel to watch in their first year in the third tier division, playing a crucial role in earning the team promotion to Division One.
“Strikers are hard to come by and we are not surprised he is attracting attention from the Premiership teams but we are yet to reach any agreement with either of the teams. As much as we feel Leeroy would be crucial in our campaign for the top flight, we won’t stand in his way if good offers come,” said Mukwiti.
The former Msiteli High School pupil joined Mpumelelo juniors in 2013 and exhibited great potential assisting the club to become a force to reckon with in the Bulawayo Juniors Leagues.
Mukwiti attributed their success to keeping their juniors team intact with only a few additions when they came through to Division Two.
He said the immense talent in their Under-18 junior team in 2014 forced them to come up with a developmental side which they registered in Division Three.
“We did not want the boys to be lost to the game since they were no longer eligible to turn out for our juniors so we decided to register a Division Three team. The trend in top flight football is that there is no space for youngsters hence we felt if we kept them as a unit in one team it would do them good to develop further.
“There are very few teams who are willing to give youngsters a chance because coaches fear for their jobs so we resolved to create a team to keep them within the game. It’s unfortunate young footballers at 20 are said not to be ripe for the Premiership yet Peter Ndlovu made his debut when he was 16,’’ said Mukwiti.
Other players who graduated from the juniors and played a crucial role in the team’s success include strikers, Ashley Joseph, Garikai Sithole, Brian Ngwenya and defenders Jack Eddington and Garikai Chihota.
Chiwororo will be gunning for the top flight this year as they battle in Division One.
Mukwiti said they would not be in Division One to make the numbers but are ready to ensure they replicate their success in Division Two, a league they won at first attempt.