BY FORTUNE MBELE CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe has heaped praises on striker William Manondo, who scored his 15th goal of the season to stretch his lead in the race for the Golden Boot, with nine matches to go before the end of the season.
Manondo scored a spectacular strike for the Green Machine to give them the lead before eventually losing the game 2-1 defeat to Highlanders at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday.
He is looking well on course to breach the 20-goal mark which was last achieved by Norman Maroto in 2014.
Chitembwe said Manondo has the potential to break records, claiming that the former Harare City forward was a quality player.
After Manondo’s curler, the Green Machine failed to defend that goal, with Devine Mhindirira and Washington Navaya replying in the second half to give Highlanders the three points.
Some of the players that managed to surpass the 20-goal mark include Chipo Tsodzo, who scored 27 goals for Masvingo United in 2001, Zenzo Moyo (Highlanders) who banged in 22 goals in 2000 while Alois Bunjira got 23 goals for Caps United in 1996.
“He has just proven his quality, but he still has a lot to do. I am not talking about someone I don’t know. I am talking of someone I really know and it is not about the potential but it is the capacity to go on to break records,” Chitembwe said.
“His conversion rate is very good as far as I am concerned. We are talking of a striker who has almost every quality. He has got technical quality, his ball control, his dribbling is good. The ability to get into positions, even if you look at the trajectory of that shot; it was out of this world. It was hit with power and precision and just the technique to bend that ball beyond Ariel’s (Sibanda) reach, Ariel who to me is a very good goalkeeper. It’s not easy; no ordinary striker can do that. We are blessed to be seeing these things from him, week in week out,” Chitembwe said.
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In the last few years, the Golden Boot winners have struggled to hit the big numbers with Clive Augusto grabbing the gong with just 14 goals in 2019.
Rodwell Chinyengetere took it with 17 goals for Platinum Stars in 2018 as did Dominic Chungwa for Caps United in 2017. In 2016, 12 goals were enough for Leonard Tsipa for Caps United while Knox Mutizwa added his name onto the trophy with 14, also for Bosso in 2015.
Chitembwe will be hoping that Manondo can keep on carrying the team as the Green Machine target a respectable position after a difficult season.
Highlanders remained sixth on the log table after the win on Sunday.
Assistant coach Joel Luphahla hopes their second win on the trot would give his players more confidence after they dispatched Triangle in the Chibuku Super Cup the previous week.
“I think we have had difficulties as a club. We have never had a good run, so we are hoping that last week was a good turnaround for us. Let’s hope that we can win three matches in a row. It will give confidence to the players,” Luphahla said.
It was coach Baltemar Brito’s fourth win in eight games which includes three draws and a defeat.
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