Why has the PSL’s 20-goal mark become endangered species?

Scoring 20 league goals in a single Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season has become one of, if not the most elusive achievement in Zimbabwean football.

For the past 16 years, no player has managed to reach the coveted milestone, underlining the challenges facing strikers in the domestic game.

The last man to achieve the feat was the late Norman Maroto, who scored 22 league goals for Gunners during the 2010 season.

Remarkably, Maroto’s achievement came just a year after Nyasha Mushekwi had netted 21 goals for CAPS United in 2009. Those remain the last two seasons in which different strikers reached the 20-goal mark, a statistic that highlights how dramatically goalscoring standards have changed over the past decade and a half.

Since then, the league has continued to produce quality forwards, but none has managed to break the 20-goal barrier.

The closest anyone has come in recent years was in the last two completed seasons, when Lynoth Chikuhwa of Highlanders (2024) and Washington Navaya, then with TelOne (2025), each finished with 17 goals—three short of ending the long wait for a 20-goal striker.

Former CAPS United and Warriors striker Brian “Marcopolo” Badza believes the decline in prolific goalscorers is not a coincidence but a reflection of deeper problems affecting Zimbabwean football.

According to Badza, today’s strikers no longer possess the same hunger and consistency that characterised previous generations.

“The hunger is no longer the same. Players are constantly moving from one club to another, and every time they move they have to build new combinations with teammates. That affects rhythm, understanding and ultimately the number of goals they score,” Badza told Fanzone from his base in the United Kingdom.

Washington Navaya in action against Simba Bhora. Picture by Fanzone

He also pointed to the decline of youth development structures as another major factor behind the shortage of elite finishers.

“Most clubs are no longer investing in developing young players. Instead, they are buying finished products, many of whom no longer have much to offer and are simply looking for financial rewards. Without strong development structures, you won’t consistently produce natural goalscorers,” added Badza.

Macopolo, as Badza was affectionately known in the green half of the city, believes the combination of frequent player movement, limited continuity within squads and the neglect of youth development has made it increasingly difficult for strikers to enjoy the consistency needed to challenge the 20-goal mark.

Tactical trends have also played a part, with many teams placing greater emphasis on defensive organisation than attacking football, resulting in fewer clear-cut scoring opportunities for forwards.

While the league continues to produce talented attackers, the numbers suggest that replicating the exploits of Mushekwi and the late Maroto has become one of the toughest challenges in Zimbabwean football.

As another season unfolds, supporters will once again be watching to see whether a striker can finally end the 16-year wait and become the first player since Mario in 2010 to score 22 league goals in a single Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign or at least score 20.