WARRIORS striker Cuthbert Malajila put himself in a very good chance to win this season’s Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot in the South African Premier Soccer League after netting his ninth goal of the season in Mamelodi Sundowns’ 2-0 win over Free State Stars at the Charles Mopeli Stadium in Phuthaditjhaba on Saturday night.
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Malajila opened the scoring for the Brazilians with a headed effort in the first half before compatriot Khama Billiat killed off the match late on with his fifth goal of the season, and his first since the start of the year.
With the win, second placed Sundowns moved 11 points of log leaders Kaizer Chiefs and have a game in hand.
Malajila’s goal saw him moving to the top of the goalscorers’ list, a position he shares with two other players.
The 29-year-old who came very close in winning the prize two seasons ago while still playing for Maritzburg United, is looking to emulate three other Zimbabweans who have won the award before.
Wilfred Mugeyi won the big prize in the league’s inauguration season in 1996-97 campaign, after netting 22 goals while playing for Bush Bucks.
Four years later, Gilbert Mushangazhike won the accolade while playing for Manning Rangers with 19 goals.
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Knowledge Musona was the last Zimbabwean to win the Premiership Golden Boot in the 2010-11 season after scoring 15 goals for Kaizer Chiefs.
Besides Malajila, the other Zimbabweans who have a chance to win the award which has a R25 000 reward (if the player scores less than 15 goals), is Tendai Ndoro who has so far scored six goals for Mpumalanga Black Aces, one more than Billiat.
The reward will rise to R50 000 for 15 plus goals and can go as high as $100 000 if 26 goals or more have been scored.
Still in the South African Premiership, Willard Katsande was the only Zimbabwean representative in the Soweto derby on Saturday between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates which ended in a 0-0 draw. The midfield hardman played the entire match.
In Europe, Musona bagged a brace to help Belgian club KV Oostende to a 4-3 victory over Waasland-Beveren.
The Warriors marksman has scored three goals in his last three games for Oostende, who have been through quite a shocking run of form of late.
They have lost six of its last nine Jupiler Pro League matches, including a 1-7 home defeat to Darren Keet’s Kortjijk in January. Oostende are placed 10th in the 16-team Pro League, 11 points from the relegation places but 23 points behind the leaders Club Brugge. Costa Nhamoinesu earned himself his fourth yellow card this season in Sparta Praha’s 3-0 win over Dukla Praha in the Czech Republic Premier League.
The highly-rated left-back has started in all the 19 games for his team this campaign.
The Warriors’ Danish based duo of Quincy Antipas and Silas Songani had a forgettable weekend.
Songani joined action at halftime when his club SønderjyskE was a goal down to Nordsjælland, but went on to concede three more as they were humbled 4-0.
Antipas’ Hobro, meanwhile, won 1-0 away to bottom placed Silkeborg but the former Motor Action striker played no part in the win as he was an unused substitute.
The European based Young Warriors crew continues to get very limited game time at their respective teams, something that could be worrying coach Kalisto Pasuwa ahead of All-Africa and Olympics qualifiers.
England-based Macauley Bonne, who is part of the 26-men squad called for camp for the matches, played the last 12 minutes for his third tier team Colchester United FC who endured a second successive loss after a 2-1 loss against Rochdale on Saturday.
Marvelous Nakamba, for the umpteenth time, did not make it into the final 18 for his Netherlands top-flight side Vitesse who earned a 1-1 draw away at Heracles.
The 21-year-old former Bantu Rovers man, who has also been called up for the Young Warriors camp, has made just two appearances out of 26 matches for his club this season, totaling just eight minutes.
