SACK: Methembe Ndlovu • Monomotapa stretch lead to 6 points • H'landers fined $30 trillion over abandoned match • Chikwaikwai leads race for Golden Boot • Barbourfields stalemate propels Monomotapa • Monomotapa cement lead, Highlanders stay in hunt • Dynamos, H'landers close in on Monomotapa • Monomotapa go top as Dynamos flounder • PSL fines Njube Sundowns $1 trillion • CBZ unveils $4,5 trillion league sponsorship deal • 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

By Nkanyiso Moyo

HIGHLANDERS and technical manager Methembe Ndlovu two and half year romances has finally come to an end.

The former Under 23 and Warriors international was shown the door after Sunday's 1-0 loss to Lengthens at Barbourfields -- their third loss of the season and the second at home.

The former champions are third on the log, seven points behind leaders Monomotapa.

According to team chairman Ernest Sibanda, the decision was reached after an emergency meeting after the match and Rueben Tsengwa, formally, the first team coach, will be in charge while a substantive coach is sought.

“We held an emergency meeting where it was resolved that Methembe leaves the club for the benefit of the club. Rueben Tsengwa will take over in the interim while we look for a substantive coach,” he said.

Tsengwa will be assisted by Gift Lunga and Peter Nkomo.

Ndlovu arrived at Highlanders in January 2006, taking over from Madinda Ndlovu who had quit after Sibanda had taken over as chairman.

He led Highlanders to their first championship since 2002 with a star studded team that had Vusa Nyoni, Obadiah Tarumbwa and Honour Gombami (all at Cercle Brugge in Belgium), Master Masiku and Ricky Sibiya (Swaziland) and Ralph Matema now at Orlando Pirates in South Africa.

He finished the 2007 season in second place behind eventual champions Dynamos, although he came under fire on various occasions for his unusual 4-1-4-1 formation which the Highlanders fans argued produced boring football.

In the 2008 season, he has been in charge of 16 games -- winning seven, drawing six and losing three. His side scored 24 goals, 12 of them from Cuthberth Malajila alone, and conceded 10 and have 27 points. They are third on the league table.

He went heavily into the market, retaining Douglas Zimbago from Masvingo, Gift Lunga from CAPS United, Herbert Dick from Legia in Poland, Stephen Alimenda
from Mwana Africa, Abraham Mbaiwa and Malajila from Chapungu, Irvine Tinarwo from Chrome Stars and Protasho Kabwe from Harare United.

But the results have not come.

On Tuesday, Ndlovu would not say much about his future but said he had enjoyed his time and valued his contribution to Highlanders.

“It was a good two and half years. It was wonderful working with everybody from the club members, the executive and the players. We will see what the future holds,” he said.

He is also in danger of losing his post as Under 20 coach after failing to report for duty in the Africa Youth Championship against Egypt two weeks ago in favour of his side’s clash against Dynamos which ended in a 1-1 draw.

He remains Grassroots Soccer Zimbabwe Program Director.

Briefly:
Methembe Ndlovu was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in the township of Luveve. A gifted student, he went on to attend Dartmouth College in the United States. After Dartmouth, he returned to Zimbabwe where he captained both Highlanders FC and the Zimbabwe Under 23 national team. Known as "Mayor", Methembe is one of the best known and most recognisable faces in Zimbabwean football. His combination of intelligence, charisma and abilities as an educator make him stand out as a football coach. He was an assistant to former Zimbabwe national team coach Charles Mhlauri.

CBZ Premier Soccer League Table (July 22, 2008):

TEAM		Played	Won	Drew	Lost	G/F	G/A	Points
1	Monomotapa	16	11	1	4	27	21	34
2	Njube Sundowns	16	9	1	6	27	20	28
3	Highlanders	16	7	6	3	24	10	27
4	Motor Action	16	9	2	5	18	17	27
5	Dynamos	15	7	6	2	17	11	27
6	Chapungu	16	6	5	5	21	14	23
7	Kiglon	16	5	7	4	17	15	22
8	Shooting Stars	16	6	3	7	15	17	22
9	Lengthens	16	6	2	8	20	22	20
10	Masvingo United	16	5	5	6	14	21	20
11	Underhill	16	5	4	7	24	33	19
12	Gunners	16	4	4	8	18	21	17
13	CAPS United	16	4	5	7	17	21	17
14	Eastern Lions	16	4	5	7	13	18	17
15	CAPS FC	16	3	6	7	16	20	15
16	Lancashire Steel	15	3	4	8	15	24	13

TOP GOAL SCORERS:

PLAYER & TEAM	GOALS
Evans Chikwaikwai (Njube Sundowns)	15
Cuthberth Malajila (Highlanders)	12
Edward Sadomba (Dynamos)	10
Nyasha Mushekwi (CAPS United), Daniel Zokoto (Monomotapa)	7
Tawanda Nyamandwe (Kiglon), Douglas Zimbago (Highlanders)	6
Simon Chipunza (Lancashire Steel), Charles Chiutsa (Monomotapa)	5
Thanks Tengwe (Gunners), Patrick Tom (Sundowns), Kudakwashe Musharu (Underhill)	4

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