Herentals’ penalties storm
QUESTIONS have been raised about whether ZIFA Northern Region Division One pacesetters Herentals are being given a helping hand by referees as they push for their maiden dance in the domestic Premiership amid an explosive row over the penalties the Harare side are getting.
Herentals have been awarded five penalties in 23 games.
They are leading the 18-team league with 55 points, followed by Golden Valley who have 39 points while Mushowani Stars are third with 38 points.
And the Harare side will be crowned champions should they win their next five matches irrespective of what happens among the chasing pack.
The club, bankrolled by Herentals Group of Colleges and Schools, have been knocking on the topflight door since 2015 when they TWO of Zimbabwe’s most promising young riders Daiyaan “D” Manuel and Emmanuel Bako inspired their country to a credible second place finish behind South Africa in the 2017 FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations Championships which ended in Gaborone, Botswana, on Sunday.
Riding in the 65cc Class, Manuel (12) and Bako (10) “rode like men possessed” to take the first two places on the podium after gruelling two days of racing at Mmamashia near Phakalane in Gaborone.
According to reports from Gaborone, Day One of the championships on Saturday saw both Manuel and Bako dominating the proceedings in the 65cc Class as they ended the day occupying the first two places ahead of South Africa’s Lucca bought a Division One franchise from Bindura United.
But it is the manner in which the team has been winning some of their games, through questionable penalties, which has been irking their opponents, suggesting they are getting a helping hand from match officials.
This has put the club under the spotlight, but they keep getting spot-kicks, especially in tight matches, which they usually win 1-0 as was the case last weekend.
In four of the matches under scrutiny, the Harare side won by a one-goal margin with the penalties making the difference.
On Saturday, they were awarded their latest penalty, in another tight game, when they edged Ngezi Platinum Under-19 at the National Sports Stadium B arena.
Interestingly, in the reverse tie against Ngezi at Pfupajena, Herentals also won the match 1-0 courtesy of penalty conversion by Ronald Chishaya.
In back-to-back matches against Mufakose United, when the league reached the halfway stage, they won both encounters 1-0 courtesy of penalties. Herentals forward Blessing Majarira scored in the first match while his brother Archmore scored a penalty in the reverse tie.
The other penalty for the log leaders came when they beat ZRP Morris 2-1.
ZIFA Northern Region chairman Willard Manyengavana believes there is nothing amiss with a team scoring five penalties with 11 more games to play before the season ends.
“Surely, I don’t think there is a limit on how many penalties a team should take each season,’’ he said.
“This might mean that a team is more attacking. If they have scored 37 goals and five of those goals are penalties, I don’t think that should be a problem or anyone should complain about that.
“I believe in our referees and the way they carry out their duties.’’
However, some of the Herentals opponents have been complaining bitterly that the table toppers appear to be getting a helping hand from the match officials.
“It’s not just about the penalties, which they have been getting, but the way the matches are handled which leave a bitter taste in the mouth,’’ said one club official.
“You can see that there is a pattern to ensure that they come out as the winners and, in tight games, the decisions always seem to go their way. It’s demoralising because there should be Fair Play, but the focus in this country is all in the Premiership and a lot is happening in the lower leagues which goes unreported. Every team should have a good chance of winning the league because that is what football is all about and not this case where some teams are more important or treated better than others.’’