Zimpapers Logo

Sports Reporter
HOLDERS and hosts Standard Chartered Bank will be hoping to get off to a flying start when they begin the defence of their Financial Services Soccer Paynet Cup title by competing in the group games at Stanchart Sports Club this weekend. Stanchart will headline Group B that also includes Nyaradzo, IPEC, and Ecobank who finished fourth in last year’s tournament.

Ecobank also fired warning shots of their pedigree with ta 5-1 destruction of RBZ on the final day of the league programme in a game in which Tinashe Kahwema led the onslaught with a hat-trick and Cosmas Paulosi added a brace. Stanchart team manager Tawanda Padziri said the champions would not underestimate any side in their group.

“For us as defending champions there will be a lot of pressure on us since most of the teams know how we play and we are also in a tricky group where we are paired with teams who were not part of the league. Tournament football is about wining your games and we will take each game as it comes and I have faith in my team as we have been together for a long time and we know our strengths and weaknesses,’’ Padziri said. The top two teams from each of the four groups in the 16-team tournament will advance to the quarter-finals scheduled for next weekend.

But before they can think of a place in the last eight, Stanchart would have to ensure that they finish among the top two in the group games that have been scheduled for today and tomorrow.

With last year’s runners-up CBZ eager to go one step better and claim the silverware this time and with three-time winners ZB Bank seeking to wrestle the title back, it promises to be a weekend of explosive group games. CBZ are in one of the toughest groups of this Paynet Cup as they are in Group A together with FBC, Steward and Agribank. Norbert Mhike, CBZ team manager, said expectations were high in their camp that they could go onto win the 2017 edition.

“CBZ will be the team to beat but we will keep our heels on the ground and take one fixture at time. We have enough arsenal to take us far and hope that our past experience will steady the ship. However we do respect other teams and may the best team win,’’ Mhike said. ZB Bank chairman Godfrey Marongwe-Nkosi was confident that he declared that the silverware would after the November 11 final head back to their trophy cabinet.

Paynet Cup Groups:

Group A: FBC, CBZ, Agribank, Steward

Group B: Standard Chartered Bank, Nyaradzo, IPEC, Ecobank

Group C: CABS, ZB Bank, RBZ, Payserv

Group D: Old Mutual, FML, NSSA, ZB Life