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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS players illuminated the Mbada Diamonds Cup individual awards ceremony adding another feather to their prestigious tournament glory on Saturday night. Highlanders had beaten How Mine 3-0 in the final that was played on Saturday afternoon with Njabulo Ncube, Peter Moyo and Masimba Mambare scoring for Bosso.
By lifting the richest football tournament in the country, Highlanders went away with $130,000. The players and technical team will share $65,000 with the rest going to the club for administrative purposes.
Deservedly, some of the Bosso players who were part of the squad that brought the club’s trophy drought to an abrupt end were handsomely rewarded at the awards ceremony held at an upmarket city hotel.
Eccentric goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya smiled all the way to the bank after getting a cool $1,500 after being voted as the Player of the Tournament and for his heroic saves that saw him only conceding four goals in the competition, Diya got another $1,000 for being the Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
The Highlanders shot stopper was beaten twice in the first round when his club clobbered Triangle 3-2, went on to keep a clean sheet in the quarter-finals where Bosso beat Buffaloes 3-0 in Masvingo and conceded two goals in the semi-final against Harare City at Mandava which they forced to a penalty shootout.
Diya went on to make a stunning save in that semi-final denying David Kutyauripo of Harare City a goal with his bare hands.
Accepting the award, Diya thanked his teammates for their support.
“Without my teammates I would not have won these awards. The technical team, supporters and the executive have all been supportive. I also want to make special mention of Ariel Sibanda, Archford Katsande and my goalkeepers’ coach Tembo Chuma who have been pushing me at training. I believe that winning these awards will keep me on my toes and continue training hard,” said Diya.
Five players, Highlanders’ trio of Ncube, Gabriel Nyoni and Masimba Mambare, Silas Songani of Harare City and Caps United’s Tawanda Nyamandwe shared the $1,000 equally for the top goalscorer’s accolade after scoring two each.
Speed merchant Nyoni also got $500 for his opening goal against Triangle in the first round of the competition which was voted the Fastest Goal of the Tournament. Moyo, who had an outstanding performance in the final, went home $500 richer after being voted as the man of the match.
The pint-sized midfielder ripped apart How Mine’s midfield with some clever passes and was involved in Highlanders’ goals.
The 2013 Mbada Diamonds Cup winners also got the Most Disciplined Team of the Tournament accolade which had $1,000 prizemoney.
How Mine got $90,000 for losing to Bosso and will receive $110,000 subsidy for taking part in next year’s Caf Confederation Cup.
Losing semi-finalists Harare City and Caps United will each get $45,000 with Dynamos, Chicken Inn, Hwange and Buffaloes each pocketing $30,000 for losing in the quarter-finals.
First round losers FC Platinum, Shabanie Mine, Triangle, Black Rhinos and the relegated Motor Action, Black Mambas, Monomotapa and Tripple B banked $15,000 each.
Mbada Diamonds also paid each player $100 appearance fee for every match they participated in while seven members of the technical team were each entitled to $150 for every encounter.
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