GONE: Mapeza with the league trophy • Saints, Njube Sundowns merger off • Relegated CAPS FC take-over Shooting Stars franchise • Charity Shield teams increased to four • Eagles promoted to premiership, Lancashire relegated • Eagles fly high as Lancashire stall • Chitembwe new CAPS United coach • PSL play-offs enter critical stage • Madinda Ndlovu unveiled as Highlanders coach • Lancashire lead play-offs mini-league • Chikwaikwai named Soccer Star of the Year • CAPS United survive, Monomotapa claim their prize • Monmomotapa clinch premiership title • Dynamos slash Monomotapa's lead with emphatic win • Monomotapa, Dynamos set up tantalising season finale • Monomotapa get in mood for big party • 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

Posted to the web: 22/01/2009 08:31:45
ZIMBABWE champions Monomotapa's preparations for the Champions League were thrown into turmoil on Wednesday night when head coach Norman Mapeza quit the club.

Mapeza’s future has appeared in doubt for over a week following reports of disharmony with club owner Solomon Mugavazi.

Mapeza has missed Monomotapa’s training sessions at Rufaro Stadium since last Thursday as club executives worked overtime to heal the rift between Mapeza and Mugavazi.

On Tuesday, executives held an emergency meeting in the capital in a bid to retain the title winning coach and put back on track preparations for their first ever Champions League campaign.

They even cancelled a scheduled two-match trip to Zambia last weekend.

Mapeza led Monomotapa to their first premiership title after a run of form that saw them go on a 21-match unbeaten run.

They face Zanzibar outfit Miembeni at Rufaro in an African Champions League preliminary round, first leg tie on February 1 with the return leg set for the East African island two weeks later.

Mapeza said he would be ready to comment on Friday, although team secretary David Makombe confirmed his departure on Thursday morning.

"Mapeza is leaving the club, but I do no think that will affect our preparations for the Champions League. We started training without him and the guys that are there have been handling the pressure well," Makombe said.

Assistant coach Rodwell Dhlakama will be in charge of the team, assisted by team manager Clayton Munemo.

Monomotapa is owned by former Kingdom Bank boss and Harare business mogul Solomon Mugavazi, while another former Kingdom executive Lysias Sibanda is the chairman.

Makombe, also formerly of the same bank is the secretary-general with another Harare businessman Bheki Ndlovu as the treasurer.

They are the only club with a female medic in Loveness Mangena, who has been with the club since promotion into the PSL in 2005.

2008 Premier Soccer League Play-Offs:

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
P - Eagles	5	4	1	0	12	5	13
Lancashire Steel	4	2	1	1	12	7	7
Shabanie Mine	4	2	0	2	6	9	6
Mwana Africa	5	0	0	5	4	14	0

2008 CBZ Premier Soccer League Top Goal Scorers:

23 GOALS: Evans Chikwaikwai (Njube Sundowns)
16 GOALS: Cuthberth Malajila (Highlanders)
15 GOALS: Edward Sadomba (Dynamos)
11 GOALS: Charles Chiutsa (Monomotapa)
9 GOALS: Douglas Zimbago (Highlanders)
8 GOALS: Daniel Zokoto (Monomotapa)
8 GOALS: Phillip Makanje (Lancashire Steel)
8 GOALS: Norman Maroto (Dynamos)
7 GOALS: Makai Kawashu (Monomotapa)
7 GOALS: Tendai Nyamadzawo (Lengthens)

2008 CBZ Premier Soccer League Final Standings:

TEAM		Played	Won	Drew	Lost	G/F	G/A	Points
1	C - Monomotapa	30	18	6	6	41	28	60
2	Dynamos	30	16	10	4	41	25	58
3	Njube Sundowns	30	15	3	12	42	36	48
4	Shooting Stars	30	12	8	10	37	26	44
5	Lengthens	30	11	8	11	37	41	41
6	Gunners	30	10	10	10	42	39	40
7	Highlanders	30	9	15	6	34	25	39
8	Kiglon	30	9	12	9	31	32	39
9	Underhill	30	9	11	10	38	44	38
10	Eastern Lions	30	9	11	10	24	27	38
11	Motor Action	30	11	4	15	32	42	37
12	CAPS United	30	8	12	10	35	32	36
13	P/O - Lancashire	30	10	6	14	37	45	36
14	R - Chapungu	30	9	7	14	31	32	34
15	R - Masvingo United	30	8	9	13	34	49	33
16*	R - CAPS FC	29	5	10	15	29	40	25
* Docked 3 points for using suspended player v Motor Action

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