CHADYA PROVIDES ANOTHER ASSIST

Tadious Manyepo

Zimpapers Sport

NELSON Chadya cemented his profile as the most complete goalkeeper in the Premiership after notching up his third assist of the season when Ngezi Platinum beat Herentals 4-0 at Baobab on Saturday.

The 26-year-old has been the best goalkeeper in the local league over the past three seasons according to the statistics.

A combination of factors, including injuries and his frame, have however disadvantaged him a bit with successive national team coaches overlooking.

However, all the local goalkeepers selected for the national team ahead of Chadya, including Chicken Inn’s Donovan Bernard, Geoffrey Chitsumba (Manica Diamonds) and Martin Mapisa of Dynamos have frozen at the big stage.

Glaring blunders by Bernard and Chitsumba in June dampened Zimbabwe’s 2026 World Cup prospects.

But locally, the goalkeeper who stood tall for the Warriors in the 2022 CHAN tournament in Cameroon is dwarfing everyone in most aspects of goalkeeping.

He has proven to be the most consistent out of the lot having already graced the Soccer Stars calendar for two consecutive seasons in 2022 and last year.

He could as well become the first ‘keeper to win the Goalkeeper of the Year twice inside three seasons.

His offensive eye first saw him picking Takunda Benhura when Ngezi Platinum’s match against Bulawayo Chiefs was heading for a draw at Luveve.

Chadya was at it again when Yadah, trailing 1-0 towards the end, was crammed in Ngezi Platinum Stars’ defensive third looking for an equaliser at Baobab.

He delivered a perfect serve to Tinotenda Murasirawana who had the easiest of tasks to prod home the home team’s insurance goal.

And, on Saturday, he was at it again.

“I would like to salute my coaches and my fellow goalkeeper Chang Marion. We have done the extras so often and the more we have done it at training, the more things have happened in the games,” said Chadya.

“I am really happy with the numbers.

“The only problem is that we, as Ngezi Platinum Stars, failed to defend our title. But we still have the Chibuku Super Cup to fight for.

“So, we hope to win that trophy and go back to play in Africa.”