daniel chigunwe
Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
JAYDEN Bakare has been praying to open his scoring account at Dynamos all along.
And he got the goal in special circumstances, against Dynamos’ fiercest rivals CAPS United, in the Harare Derby last week.
The 20-year-old clipped the insurance goal in the Glamour Boys’ 2-0 win over Makepekepe when heading in a rebound after CAPS United goalie Tonderai Mateyaunga had punched back into his path an initial shot by the scorer of the opening goal, Donald “Kante” Mudadi.
And the lanky forward believes he can score more than the 10 goals he notched when he was still playing for relegated WhaWha last season.
Bakare captured the imagination of many when he starred for WhaWha who had a lot of below average players in their fold last term. He was overwhelmingly voted the league’s Rookie of the Year despite his team’s failure to stand the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League heat. In fact, Bakare should have been part of the Glamour Boys last season but former coach Tonderai Ndiraya opted to take on board Bill Antonio instead.
And after what seemed like eternity for him to get his clearance from WhaWha, with whom he had a three-year contract, Bakare has challenged himself to surpass the 10-goal mark he attained last year.
Bakare missed DeMbare’s first two games as his move from WhaWha was still being formalised.
“I am forever grateful for what WhaWha did for me. “They showed me the way. They gave me a platform which was free of pressure to express myself and I showed what I can do,” said Bakare. “I am now back to my roots. I grew up in the Dynamos system and I expected to be enrolled for the senior team last season but that wasn’t to be.
“But, I have finally been afforded the platform here. I am grateful and it’s now up to me to show what I can do for the team.
“You know the most difficult thing to do in a football career as a striker is to score your first goal. “I have been searching for that opener and I was getting frustrated.
“I would pinch myself each time I failed to score. I am very relieved now that I have scored my first goal.
“And that goal came against CAPS United. That was my first derby and I feel like I have wings now.
“The 10 goals I scored when I was still with Whawha last year can be bettered.
“I am a striker and playing for Dynamos means I have more responsibilities now.
“I shouldn’t only aim to surpass the 10-goals I scored last season but I should contest for the Golden Boot award. I am also looking to break that 22-goal mark that was last achieved 13 years ago.
“I am a striker and my job is to score goals. I am going to work very hard to try and help my team achieve their goals.”
Bakare is DeMbare’s main hope upfront this season, with the other three strikers struggling to impose themselves in the game.
Tinashe Makanda, who scored Dynamos’ first goal of the season in the 1-0 victory over Hwange eight weeks ago, is still on a single goal. The former Highlanders man is even struggling to get the minutes at the Glamour Boys. Eli Ilunga and Nyasha Chintuli are getting playing time but neither has stepped in as yet to prove their pre-season hype.
With Ilunga, Makanda and Chintuli also not very significant team players, Bakare, who can play wing and midfield as well, could see more game time with the reserved youngster expected to do wonders for a Glamour Boys side searching for a first league title for the first time in nine years.
Online Reporter