Fans’ Choice Award spice up Soccer Star Awards
LOCAL football enthusiasts have been busy this week voting and mobilising their peers to participate in this Year’s Soccer Star of the Year selections following the introduction of the Fans’ Choice Award.
The winner of this category is set to be unveiled at the Soccer Star of the Year banquet set for tomorrow evening in Harare.
The domestic football family will also celebrate the outstanding players and officials in the traditional awards ceremony, whose genesis can be traced back to 1969.
Organisers stoked the excitement among the supporters, who are one of the biggest stakeholders in the game, when they announced that they will be allowed to have their voice in the Fans Choice Award.
Delta Beverages invited the supporters to vote for the outstanding player of their choice from the just-ended Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, in addition to the short-list of the best XI selected by the traditional selection panel last week.
“We are throwing this one to you, the fans. Vote for your favourite player of the 2022 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
“All you have to do is visit www.castlelager.co.zw and cast your vote as we get ready to celebrate our stars,” said Delta Beverages on one of their online platforms.
A panel of 50 sports journalists, 18 coaches and as many captains from all the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clubs last week voted the eleven Soccer Star of the Year finalists, the Goalkeeper of the Year and the Coach of the Year.
The Soccer Star of the Year and his two runners- up, the Coach of the Year, the Goalkeeper of the Year, Referee of the Year and his two runners-up, the Most Promising Under-19 Player of the Year and the Most Disciplined Team of the Year will all be honoured at the event.
As was largely expected, champions FC
Platinum dominated the final selection with three players on the short-list. The Zvishavane side continued with their domination of the domestic Premiership when they won a fourth successive league title, ahead of Chicken Inn and Dynamos.
Former Zimbabwe youth international Walter Musona, who returned home from a disappointing stint in South Africa during the season, is the favourite to land the Soccer Star of the Year accolade following his magnificent rebirth at the platinum miners.
The 26- year- old scored 14 goals and weighed in with six assists.
Goalkeeper Wallace Magalane is also on the short-list after a good season in which he kept 16 clean sheets, having stepped in to replace injured captain, Petros Mhari, in the early stages of the season.
Then veteran defender Gift Bello, who won his seventh career league title, was also rewarded for his resilience.
Ngezi Platinum Stars goalkeeper Nelson Chadya, who has kept out 19 clean sheets, is favourite for the Goalkeeper of the Year.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza leads the race for the Coach of the Year gong after comfortably leading the platinum miners to their fourth league title on the trot. Mapeza won the Coach of the Month accolades four times during the season.
The referees were selected by a different panel and the winners will be announced at the banquet.
The Soccer Stars banquet is returning after a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid19 pandemic. CAPS United’s Joel Ngodzo was the last recipient of the Soccer Star of the Year accolade in 2019.
The 2021/22 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Soccer Star of the Year finalists: Brian Muza, Delic Murimba, Devine Mhindirira, Elie Ilunga, Frank Makarati, Gift Bello, Nelson Chadya, Tinotenda Benza, Wallace Magalane, Walter Musona, William Manondo