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Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
NELSON Chadya cemented his profile as a 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, by a significant distance, the best goalkeeper in the local league over the past three seasons according to the statistics he has on the board.
A combination of factors including injuries and his frame have, however, disadvantaged him a bit with successive national team coaches overlooking him.
However, all the local goalkeepers selected for the national team ahead of Chadya including Chicken Inn’s Donovan Bernard, Geoffrey Chitsumba (Manica Diamonds), and of late 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 in three seasons if the voters consider all aspects of play for that position in their selection.
Ngezi Platinum could finish in third place and most of the credit should go to Chadya for his roles in the overall display for the Mhondoro miners.
The former Hartley man is the only goalkeeper and only player in the defensive position to clip three assists in the league this season.
His offensive eye first saw him picking Takunda Benhura when Ngezi Platinum’s match against Bulawayo Chiefs was heading for a draw at Luveve.
Benhura was well positioned in that surprise counter to roll the ball home and earn the outgoing champions the full points.
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.
As soon as the agile shot-stopper dived to his right to collect the ball, he needed just a split second to deliver a perfect serve to Tinotenda Murasirawana who had the easiest of tasks to prod home the home team’s insurance goal.
And on Saturday, the man in-between the posts for Madamburo, in an almost similar style, received a reverse pass from Kudzi Chigwida, dribbled past three Herentals forwards, and unleashed a drive that was rolled home by Tanaka Munemo to tear the Students apart.
Chadya has faced two penalties in the league and he saved both first going down to the right to deny Melikhaya Ncube as Ngezi Platinum wrapped up the points at Highlanders and then blocking Hwange’s Dominic Chungwa’s effort in Takesure Chiragwi men’s 6-0 triumph.
The Ngezi Platinum asset has conceded the least number of goals in the league (18) although he is second to Bernard in terms of the number of clean sheets kept so far this season.
Chadya has 17 clean sheets while Bernard has 19 but the former has two more games to play this season to the latter’s one. “I have played good football over the years but I think I have done so well this season. 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.
“If it happens, I will rejoice and if it doesn’t tough luck but I am really happy with the numbers that have been pegged on the line.
“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.”
Takesure Chiragwi said Chadya is the most complete goalkeeper in the country.
“It’s not easy for a player to be Number One at a team like Ngezi Platinum from 2016 up to now. I can tell you that he is as good in providing defensive support as he is in terms of determining how we attack,” said Chiragwi.
“I have seen good goalkeepers in the league but in terms of completeness, Chadya can’t be rivalled.”
Online Reporter
Charles Duri