The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
IT is every parent’s dream to see their child succeed in their chosen career, more so if that makes millions of Zimbabweans happy.
For Kudakwashe Mahachi’s mother, Sibonile Moyo, her son scoring the Zimbabwe Warriors’ opening goal at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations against Algeria at Stade de Franceville in Gabon last Sunday brought so much joy. Mahachi found the equaliser for Zimbabwe in the 17th minute after Riyad Mahrez had opened the scoring for Algeria 12 minutes into the Group B encounter.
The South Africa-based Golden Arrows midfielder got a pass from his teammate at Abafana Bes’thende, Danny Phiri and the left footer beat Algerian goalkeeper Rais M’bolhi on the far post with the Dessert Foxes keeper slow to react. A Nyasha Mushekwi penalty in the 29th minute saw Zimbabwe lead 2-1 for better part of the match until Mahrez equalised with eight minutes left for the contest to conclude in a 2-2 stalemate.
In an interview at her Cowdray Park home in Bulawayo which the star acquired for his family following his move to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2014, Moyo was ecstatic that her son had brought joy to millions of Zimbabweans who watched last Sunday’s match on television.
Clad in Mahachi’s Warriors shirt from the 2014 African Nations Championship, Moyo, who last saw her son on 27 December after spending Christmas with him said it was her desire that her son heading to Gabon is not unproductive.
A member of the Anglican Church, Mahachi’s mother disclosed that she spoke to her son on the morning of the match and then went on to seek divine intervention in church for him to excel.
“I felt so much joy. I watched the match till the end. I told him that when you are playing football you forget about all that has happened in the past but what’s important is to remember the Lord because all the good things you get is God’s grace. I spoke to him on the morning of the match, he was asking if I was going to church so that I can get some verses for him to read when he goes back to South Africa. I prayed a lot, it is my wish that his going to Gabon is not in vain,’’ said Moyo.
Her biggest concern on Sunday was that since her son has a metal bar inserted on his arm to aid recovery after it broke during a Warriors training session in Harare last year, she was worried he could aggravate that injury.
The 23-year-old Highlanders junior product who failed to make an impact at Sundowns before making a permanent move to Arrows last year is one of the Zimbabwean players expected to attract interest from European clubs if they play well in Gabon.
With the way Mahachi performed against Algeria, his mother is wishing that he can go beyond South Africa in his football career.
“I am praying to God that he plays well in the coming matches, my biggest worry was that since he broke his arm and has a metal inside the arm, when he fell and touched the ground with that hand, that metal could be felt, my fear was that he could break that arm again but God intervened and it never happened. If he can score one or two goals whatever God has given we will accept. I wish he can go further than South Africa and play in another country,’’ said Moyo.
The last born in a family of four made up of two boys and the same number of girls, delighted his family when he threw a surprise birthday party in Mzilikazi for his uncle Kheyi Moyo who turned 52 before heading for the Warriors final camp in Harare prior to the team’s departure for Cameroon and then Gabon. Former captain, the legendary Peter Ndlovu scored Zimbabwe’s first ever goal at the Africa Cup of Nations in the 2-1 defeat to Egypt in Tunisia at a competition where the Warriors found the target six times and conceded eight goals.
Issah Ahmed scored an own goal with Benjani Mwaruwari also on target as the Warriors beat Ghana 2-1 in their second appearance at Afcon held in Egypt in 2006.
Those two goals were the only ones that Zimbabwe scored in Egypt while their defence was breached five times.
@Mdawini_29
