Sundaymail Editor
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
KUDAKWASHE BASOPO’s great trek down south might prove to be exactly what the doctor ordered!
In just three months, the Mighty Warriors’ striker seems to have totally reinvented herself in Eswatini, reminding everyone what exactly she is capable of.
She already has seven goals to her name for her new club, Nsingizini Hotspurs, bringing back shades of her trailblazing run for Black Rhinos Queens over a decade ago.
It is at the army side that she made a name for herself on the field.
Her goals played a crucial role in Rhinos’ dominance in the domestic league, earning her a spot in the Mighty Warriors fold.
She then joined the likes of Chido Dzingirai, Rutendo Makore, Rudo Neshamba, Danai Bhobho and Felistas Muzongondi to form one of the most ultra-talented Mighty Warriors ensemble.
She starred at the historic maiden Mighty Warriors’ appearance at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
There, she scored the lone goal in the women’s first round Group F match between Zimbabwe and Germany on August 3, 2016 when the Mighty Warriors were thrashed 6-1.
The following year, she was widely expected to lead the women’s national team attack during the COSAFA Women’s Championships, which were held in Bulawayo.
However, the Black Rhinos Queens striker found herself nowhere near the Mighty Warriors camp after coach Sithethelewe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda did not include her in the final 25-woman squad.
It is around this time that many started to speculate that her best days could be behind her.
“It obviously was heartbreaking to be dropped at a time when you felt you still had the game at both your feet and heart,” she said.
“However, coaches have their opinions and they are entitled to their decisions. I was heartbroken for a long time, but I eventually healed and moved on.”
It was not until 2024 that the name Basopo resurfaced.
This was after netting crucial goals for her club and also bouncing back into the Mighty Warriors fold ahead of the COSAFA tournament.
This was to be a false restart as she failed to make the cut in the final squad.
While that might have been heartbreaking for her, a bigger surprise awaited her.
Basopo attracted the interests of Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs and was signed at the start of the year on a six-month loan from Black Mambas Queens.
Her first assignment was the Women Ingwenyama Cup.
Interestingly, she took to the league like a fish to water, quickly establishing herself as a formidable contender for the coveted top goalscorer prize.
In a dazzling display during the recent Women’s Ingwenyama Cup quarter-finals against Mbekelweni, she netted a brace in the astounding 15-0 victory that secured her team a place in the semi-finals of the competition.
Overall, she took her tally to seven goals in the cup contest.
“As a striker, your job is to score goals and I am happy that I am doing that,” she said. “I am not a superstar, but with hard work and determination, I have seen that I can do it.
“It is not easy playing and trying to please people in a foreign land, but I am happy that the club has made me feel at home. This has helped make the adjustment easier.
Basopo was bold to highlight that her mission was to rediscover her old self and live up to the bar she set back then.
As the competition progresses, all eyes will be on Basopo and her quest for the top scorer title.
“When you set a record like this, the next thing is to double your work rate and defend that position,” she said in relation to the cup competition’s top goalscorer spot.
“However, I should not put myself under too much pressure lest it will negatively affect my performance. The goal going forward will be to simply step on the pitch, enjoy the game and score for fun.
“I am still in the process of understanding my teammates, but things appear to be working out well. We are hoping for the best in the cup semi-finals.”
Online Reporter