FORMER CAPS United duo of Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo and goalkeeper Simba Chinani are driving Northern Region Division One Soccer promotion hopefuls Simba Bhora from the front with the pair bagging prestigious awards for the month of July.
Chinani was expelled at Makepekepe for his role in an embarrassing sit-in that almost saw the Green Machine failing to fulfil a league match against Cranborne Bullets at the National Sports Stadium earlier this year.
Chitiyo, just like Chinani, was also shown the red-card by the Harare giants before he was pardoned along with Devon Chafa and Rodwell Chinyengetere.
However, the diminutive midfielder decided against accepting the pardon and instead joined Simba Bhora together with Chinani. And the two have been instrumental in the Northern Region Division One Soccer League’s title aspirants.
Simba Bhora are second on the log with just a single point separating them from leaders Herentals Under-20.
The pair have been outstanding in the league too with Chinani winning the July Breakfront Car Hire and Travel Player of the Month accolade while Chitiyo bagged the Tempo Tyre Distributors Top Goal Scorer award of the same period.
So good has been Chinani in the month under review he conceded just once in the team’s 1-1 draw against Golden Valley last Saturday.
“I am very happy to have my efforts recognised by the league. I thought I would be the month’s best goalkeeper but I am happy the organisers saw it fit for me to bag the best overall players’ accolade.
“It is very rare for a goalkeeper to win that big award. It shows that I am doing something good and I would like to salute my teammates for the effort all of them are putting,” said Chinani.
Chitiyo was equally thrilled and challenged his teammates to put in extra work to ensure the team win the ticket to the top-flight, come the end of the season.
Chitiyo’s three goals in the month of July won him the top goal-scorer’s award.
“I am very happy to have won this award. It really challenges me to keep on working even harder as we march towards our objective of getting promoted,” said Chitiyo.
Simba Bhora dominated the awards with coach Arthur Tutani also walking with the M and J Consultancy Coach of the Month prize.
Source: The Herald
Read the full article here