Leopards discipline Cavaliers

BY GRACE CHIRUMANZU

VARSITY Leopards humiliated Kingdom Cavaliers in both the women and men ‘A’ matches of the Harare Basketball League’s week 22, played at the University of Zimbabwe, last weekend.
Leopards men beat Cavs 71-46 to power themselves of 34 points on position three of the log table. They trail with two points behind leaders JBC with both teams having a game in hand. Sigauke sits on second position with 36 points in 19 matches.
Spencer Nyamadzawo’s charges, the Cavaliers women may have been whipped 39-61 by Leopards, but the loss did not deprive them the luxury of enjoying life at the top of the table.
With Leopards winning the match for two points for a total of 26, their opponents, the losers of the day had 26 points before the match but led the pack with a point, earned from fulfilling their fixture, which is the lovely part of basketball.
Stormers are on the bottom of the pack with 15points from 14 outings. They suffered a humiliating 10-91 loss at the hands of Raiderz (23 points) who are in the race for the championship titles. Raiderz women are on position four, behind JBC (26 points), Leopards and leaders Cavaliers.
They stand a chance of reducing the deficit in their two games in hand.
Meanwhile unbeaten JBC enjoy life at the top of the log table in Harare Basketball’s ‘A’ league, with a total of 36 points amassed from 18 matches.
The national champions showed no mercy to Golden Spurs when they silenced the passionate but inexperienced side 117-57.
JBC share the same points with second placed, Sigauke but the later have two loses to their record from the 19 matches played.
Despite suffering a heavy blow last weekend, Spurs refuse to be the tail of the pack and ironically, the Gentlemen’s Association and South Central both with 21 points are on position 13 and 14 of the 14-team log table, respectively.

Warriors date the group leaders

BY GRACE CHIRUMANZU

THE Zimbabwe national soccer team will be set to make a comeback from a disappointing 2-all draw against Ghana, last Monday, as the Warriors date the group leaders, Democratic Republic of Congo, in a group B match of the inaugural African Nations Championship (CHAN), set for the Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, on Thursday (26 Feb 2009).

The Warriors shared points with the Black Stars of Ghana having opened a two goal lead in the 36th minute courtesy of Ovidy Karuru and Philip Marufu’s scores.
But once the Black Stars found their first threw midfielder Ibrahim Ayew, the first son of Ghana football legend Abedi Pele, hell broke a series of unfortunate events untangled the Warriors of Southern Africa.
Willard Manyatera who had been outstanding the whole of the hot afternoon, commendably clearing threatening crosses form the opponents’ strike force, forced Ayew’s shot into the nets in what seemed to had been a poor judgment of a not-so-tricky ball by the Dynamos goalkeeper.
He might have blamed himself for the second one but he will not shoulder the blame for the sharing spoils with the Black Stars. The Warriors strike force was not convincing upfront save for Philip Marufu who appeared to have been fighting a lone battle.
Pride Tafirenyika is an impressive attacking midfielder when he features for his side Shooting Stars, now Caps United, but he failed to deliver for the Warriors as he was being played out of position.
He was dropped to the position of central midfielder by head coach, Sunday Chidzambwa, and little if not none of his electric displays were seen for the Warriors’ advantage. Chidzambwa appeared to have concentrated on the defense more than on the strike force.
Despite inevitably watching the first ball of their opponents slipping past them, straight to the nets, defenders Thomas Sweswe and Captain Gilbert Banda did justice to keep it tight at the back.
Zimbabwe will be hoping to pull a win against DRC today as the Chidzambwa’s men seek three points to lead the group for a chance to progress to the next stage of the competition, designed only for players plying their trade in the local leagues.
Their opponents today beat Lybia 2-0 to collect all points consequently leading the group. But if the Warriors’ last performance is anything to come by, this time they won’t escape with a point and they will sadly end their assignment in the group stages just as at the 2004 and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.
In another Group B match to be played on the same venue, today, Lybia take on Ghana, as both teams seek their first victory of the showpiece.

Group B Log Table
Team MP W D L GF GA GD Pts
RD Congo 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3
Ghana 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1
Zimbabwe 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1
Libya 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 0

Black, Huber at it again in Paris

TRIUMPHANT: Liezel Huber and Cara Black hold their trophies after defeating Kveta Peschke and Lisa Raymond during their doubles finals match of the Paris Open tennis tournament in Paris February 15, 2009

Cephas Chimedza interview

24-year old former Dynamos and Caps United midfielder, Cephas Chimedza, tells Grace Chirumanzu in an interview that he would not miss Belgium if ever he is going to leave.

Grace Chirumanzu (G.C): How long did it take for you to settle in Sint Truiden, Belgium? Have you now reached a point where you are comfortable there?
Cephas Chimedza(C.C): It did not take me long because I knew what to expect having played for a Belgian team before.
G.C: What was your dream when you were a child?
C.C: I wanted to have a good job like being a doctor but it all changed as the years went by.
G.C: What do you think you would have done if you had not become a footballer like you didn’t become a doctor? Did you have a plan B?
C.C: After I joined Dynamos juniors in 1999 and eventually got promoted to the first team in 2001 all I ever wanted from that time was to be a footballer, so I never had a plan B.
G.C: What is your attitude towards racism in football and has it ever affected u at one point?
C.C: It’s really a bad thing but it is so difficult to curb because one can’t really change someone’s opinion on things, something they believe in but personally I haven't been affected.
G.C: Your team is currently not playing in the premier league (Jupiler League), are u comfortable playing in the lower league?
C.C: Sint Truiden has always been in the top flight league until the relegation at the end of last season, but right now we are on top and look likely to be promoted.
G.C: If you are to leave Belgium, what would u miss about the country?
C.C: I won’t miss anything I will be happy to finally leave, because of the weather, it is very bad, the culture too.
G.C: How are foreigners treated at your club and in Belgium at social levels?
C.C: Usually as a foreigner you just have to work harder than the local guys I think that is how it is everywhere, but other than that everything else is the same.
G.C: Tell us of some moments u had on your first days at the club that u always remember with laughter or sadness?
C.C: It was when I stayed in my new apartment without a television set and no hot water for 2 weeks, I really felt unwanted.
G.C: Having played for a club outside Zimbabwe, where can u say the problem of our football lies? And what should be done to improve it?
C.C: I think it is poor administration and the solution is just to put people with the football knowhow in office.
G.C: I understand Dutch, French and German are the three official languages spoken in Belgium; how have you handled the language barrier?
C.C: Quit fortunately for me, they are now learning English also. So all the time it’s English, it only becomes a challenge when you go to French speaking regions where you will be forced to speak French if you want to communicate.
G.C: What are the challenges you have faced so far?
C.C: Just being lonely.
G.C: What is the craziest thing you have ever done in your career as a footballer?
C.C: Walking out of my 2 year contract after just 6 months.
G.C: Which player are u closest to at your club?
C.C He is from the Czech Republic and has played for Hearts in Scotland and he speaks good English.
G.C: Which player in Zimbabwe would you say has a good future and would do wonders in foreign clubs?
C.C: They are quite a number of players coming through; I think the players who will be a success in foreign clubs are the likes of Zhaimu Jambo and Ovidy Karuru. It is just to mention a few.
G.C: What are the remaining ambitions in your career?
C.C: My ambition is to play in a major league because my team is currently playing in the lower division.
G.C: Zimbabwe had its own great players such as Francis Shonhayi, Wilfred and William Mugeyi but hardly anybody has emulated them. Are you prepared for a time when you might be considered Zimbabwe's greatest player?
C.C: All I just have to do is keep working as hard as I can but I have never thought of being among the greatest.

also published on http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

Cheetahs in IRB World Cup opener

BY GRACE CHIRUMANZU

ZIMBABWE’S Rugby Sevens will be looking at proving a force to reckon with at the international stage when they take on Wales, in an opening match of the 2009 IRB Sevens World Cup, when the tournament explodes into life in Dubai, on March 5.The Zimbabweans who are also known as “The Cheetahs” are in Pool F. They are pooled with heavyweights Argentina, who recently won the San Diego sevens tournament, which ended in USA, last weekend.
According to a source, the San Diego sevens, “the last major event before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in Dubai produced even more intriguing results, with Argentina taking the Cup honours for only the second time in IRB Sevens World Series history.”
The Cheetahs will not only face Argentina who will be bubbling with a morale-booster, they were awarded in America but also face an equally competitive Uruguay in their pool fixture.
Uruguay team manager, Felipe Puig, was full of praise for The Cheetahs, telling thie reporter, “Zimbabwe Sevens Team is rated as a second level team, immediately after the top class teams (NZ, Fidji, England etc). In a good day, Zimbabwe can beat a first class team.”
““Uruguay is ranked fourth in the pool, so Zimbabwe stands a good chance of qualifying ahead of us,” he added.
Puig however remains optimistic that his team has the ability to pull a win, on a bright day.
“We think that if we are lucky and perform well on the day, we can give Zimbabwe and Wales a good challenge.”
The Cheetahs will however not be taking any team for granted especially after Uruguay turned down regional powerhouse, Kenya, in San Diego, last weekend.
The Cheetahs head coach Liam Middleton is very positive of the global showdown, believing it to be a lifetime opportunity.
““If we had not qualified for the World Cup it would be something that held us back from our progression, because whatever you say it’s a huge thing, it comes around once every four years and some players only experience it once in their careers. Qualifying for this World Cup is a milestone in the country’s real development in Sevens.”