In what is shaping up to be a turbulent maiden campaign in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, Kwekwe United have found themselves on the receiving end of an unwanted statistic — conceding two hat-tricks in just the opening rounds of the season.
For a team that entered the topflight with hopes of proving their mettle, the Midlands side has instead become synonymous with leaky defending and heavy scorelines.
Their latest collapse came on Saturday, when ZPC Kariba’s Charles Munyanyi netted three goals in a dominant 5-0 rout.
That strike followed a similar humiliation earlier in the season when Highlanders’ Brighton “MaNinja” Ncube notched the league’s first hat-trick in a 4-0 drubbing at Barbourfields Stadium.
To concede one hat-trick in a season may be forgivable — a lapse, a bad day at the office.
But two, and so early in the campaign, raises red flags that go beyond mere tactics.
Kwekwe United’s defensive unit appears overwhelmed, disjointed, and without leadership — a backline crying out for organisation and grit.
Off-field chaos has only worsened matters. Reports of players boycotting training sessions and refusing to board matchday buses due to unpaid salaries paint a picture of a club in disarray.
Morale, clearly, is at rock bottom. And in a league where discipline and preparation are everything, such instability almost certainly translates to poor performances on the pitch.
Next on the fixture list is Herentals College, a side likely licking their lips at the thought of facing what is currently the PSL’s most porous defence.
Unless there is a swift resolution to the club’s financial issues and an urgent restructuring of their defensive approach, Kwekwe United risk becoming the division’s whipping boys — donors of goals, hat-tricks and precious points.
The Midlands faithful deserve better. But for now, the grim reality is that every fixture brings with it the threat of another thrashing.
Matchday 6 – Castle Lager PSL Results:
Simba Bhora 4-1 Manica Diamonds
Telone 2-1 Ngezi Platinum
Yadah 1-1 Scottland
FC Platinum 0-0 Greenfuel
Bikita Minerals 2-1 Triangle United
ZPC Kariba 5-0 Kwekwe United
Highlanders 1-0 CAPS United
Dynamos 0-1 Chicken Inn
Herentals 0-1 MWOS
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