Malajila joins the Golden Boys class in SA soccer

16 Oct, 2016 - 00:10 0 Views
Malajila joins the Golden Boys class in SA soccer Cuthbert Malajila (centre)

The Sunday News

Cuthbert Malajila (centre)

Cuthbert Malajila (centre)

Noel Munzabwa, Recently in Mbombela
How many Zimbabwe players have scooped all good medals in the South African premiership?

This is the question many soccer readers might fumble but what is certain though is that Bidvest Wits’ Cuthbert Malajila is the latest edition to the answer.

Sadly that list does not include our present day finest Khama Billiat who will require another to pick the last puzzle to the gold medal jigsaw — the MTN 8 Wafa Wafa.

Notably, Tinashe Nengomasha and Willard Katsande are two notable players on that list.

The Amakhosi’s 2010 Telkom Knockout Cup triumph over arch rivals Orlando Pirates on Saturday evening, signaled another milestone for the club as they have now for the eighth season in succession won a Cup title.

Amazingly in those eight seasons Tinashe Nengomasha featured in every Cup Final (Telkom Knockout as well as other competitions) that the club have played in and it was to close his Chiefs chapter.

The General equaled the record set by his former club mate Thabo Mooki for playing in six Telkom Knockout Cup finals, and he also levelled with Mooki in adding a fifth Telkom Knockout Cup winners medal to his collection.

As if in relay, Nengomasha was to hand over the torch to Warriors captain Willard Katsande who had just crossed the flowfloor from Ajax Capetown after winning the Telkom Knockout.

Katsande added the Premier Soccer League in 2012-13, 2014-15, Nedbank Cup 2012-13 and MTN 8 2014.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ Billiat has won Premier Soccer League 2013-14 and 2015-16, Nedbank Cup 2014-15 and Telkom Knockout 2015.

On a rain drenched afternoon at Mbombela Stadium a fortnight ago, this achievement could have gone to either Malajila or Absa premiership reigning finest player Khama Billiat but it had to be a perfect birthday present to the former.

Unnoticed to many football pundits, Malajila, finally completed the Absa Premiership gold medals haul on that Saturday as Bidvest Wits read football lecture to Mamelodi Sundowns lifting the MTN8 Wafa Wafa Cup with a convincing 3-0 win.
Having won the Absa Premiership in 2013/2014 and 2015/2016, Nedbank Cup 2014/2015, Telkom Cup 2015/2016 at Mamelodi Sundowns, the MTN8 had proven missing on the puzzle and finally it was delivered in sweet, perfect time — two days to the 31st birthday.

“It was a perfect moment for me playing against my former paymasters for the first time, not to say it was a grudge-filled match for me. I had to take every stride as it came from the moment on the bench to being introduced as a substitute.

“Luckily my teammates had already fought the battle for the rest of us and coming on the task was merely to consolidate the fight, protect the lead until final whistle. Something we did with precision as a team.

“My teammates didn’t know what this would mean to me. They didn’t know this triumph would deliver a perfect birthday present for me. They also didn’t know this would complete winning all trophies in South Africa,” said Malajila.

The Kadoma-born whose top flight football career sprung from Chapungu who he joined in 2005 upon their return from a season in the second tier, to a loan deal at Highlanders and later Dynamos before breaking it’s waters into foreign land also paid tribute to coach Gavin Hunt.

“I have worked with so many coaches but Gavin Hunt has his own unique approach which has begun to pay off with this MTN8 triumph. He has brought this culture of playing every game as a money game, a cup final of some sort.

“This has created the fighting for a win spirit among players. We play every game as if it’s a final. You can tell he wants to win and second best is not enough. That approach has brought in a new life in me,” added Malajila.

In his summary career Malajila has amassed 14 golds including, the 2009 Cosafa Cup and golden boot, two Zimbabwe PSL championships and golden boots, 2006 CBZ Cup golden boot, the 2011 Mbada Diamonds gold medal, Independence trophy and Zimbabwe Defense Forces Cup.

He has tasted silver on numerous occasions including propelling Chapungu to their millennium best ever, the 2006 CBZ losing finalists, Highlanders’ Nestle Charity Cup silver in 2008, league runners up.

Nengomasha stands as arguably the most successful Zimbabwean soccer player in the Absa PSL with a winner’s medal through each of the years that he has spent at Amakhosi while Katsande has completed the super diski trophies jigsaw puzzle in his stay at Naturena.

In celebrating 11 years of top flight football, his 31st birthday and milestone achievement in SA, Malajila declared “who Jah blesses no man can stop, my soccer journey continues.”

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