Chidzambwa’s fit of firsts!

SUNDAY Chidzambwa (formerly Marimo) was Zimbabwe Warriors’ first captain guiding the country to its first piece of silverware in a four-team tournament in 1980.

Sunday News caught up with the ZPC Kariba head coach, undoubtedly one of Zimbabwe’s most decorated football personalities, as a player and coach.

Chidzambwa as captain of Dynamos guided the Harare giants, Zimbabwe’s most successful club to several championships and cup triumphs. As a coach he also took the side to pole positions of tournaments and his crowning moment was reaching the African Champions League Cup Final in 1998, a feat yet to be achieved by any other Zimbabwean club. He was also the first Warriors coach to take the country to the Afcon finals, Tunisia in 2004, a year after he won the Cosafa Cup with the Warriors.

In fact, only three southern African clubs, Dynamos, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have that distinction of reaching the continental cup final while most have struggled to proceed to the group stage.

On his appointment as captain of the first ever national team in independent Zimbabwe, Chidzambwa said it was a great honour.

He had beaten three other favourites Ziscosteel’s Ephraim Moloi, Arcadia’s Graham Boyle and then Caps Rovers defence stalwart Charles Sibanda.

“They were equally good contenders for the job. They were good leaders and players who could have done the job for the country,” said Chidzambwa with a great sense of humility.

He added: “I felt very honoured to be handed the captain’s armband. I was so grateful to the coaches John Rugg, Shepherd Murape, Ashton Nyazika and Paul Moyo, the football fraternity and the media, even the Zifa executive. It was a great honour and I felt humbled and honoured leading my country.”

The national call up was not Chidzambwa’s first. He had made his debut scoring a goal in a 1-0 win over a Germany side that visited the country in 1975.

“I was called up by British coach Billy Asprey who partnered me with Daniel Chikanda while I was still with Metal Box,” said Chidzambwa.

He said he enjoyed playing alongside other great central defenders like Chikanda and Shadreck Ngwenya in national teams before Independence which were captained by George Shaya whose generation of players was reaching retirement at that time.

Asked about the feeling of captaining a winning side in a history making tournament — the 1980 Independence Football Gala which featured Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and hosts Zimbabwe, he said it was an exhilarating experience.

“To be honest I was on cloud nine multiplied 10 times. It was one of my greatest moments as a player. I remember taking team pictures with new President Canaan Banana and the Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. The fans were fabulous too,” said the former DeMbare and Warriors captain.

However, a leg injury in 1983 brought to an end a playing career that had seen Chidzambwa travel the width and length of Africa with Dynamos and the Warriors. The returns were 40 plus caps.

On his partnerships Chidzambwa sung praises for Ephert Lungu, Stephen Chuma, Shadreck Ngwenya and Daniel Chikanda.

“Eish I played with Chikanda in the national team, he was a very good partner, Shadreck was good, Chuma from Hwange was good too, even Ephert Lungu, they were very outstanding partners who were equally good,” said Chidzambwa.

He regards the 1980 squad as having been the best of all the national teams.

“Most of the guys that I played with in the 1970s were retiring like our former captain George Shaya, I regard the 1980 team as having been the best,” he said.

Chidzambwa featured in almost three generations of national teams, the fading Warriors of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The mid-1970s had him, Oliver Kateya and Shaky Tauro emerging as national team kingpins.

On a sunny Sunday on 20 April 1980 Chidzambwa led Frank Mkanga, Graham Boyle, Oliver Kateya, Ephert Lungu, David Muchineripi, David Mandigora, Wonder Phiri, Shaky Tauro, Onias Musana and Robert Godoka to a 2-1 victory over Zambia.

In the semi-final Zimbabwe had beaten Mozambique 6-0 with Zambia accounting for neighbours Tanzania 2-0.

Former Saints maestro Max Tshuma replaced Aces’ Muchineripi at halftime with Rio Tinto legend Joseph Zulu probably the player with most appearances on the Castle Lager calendar coming in for former Saints, Thekwane High School and Black Horrors hitman Musana. Tauro regarded as the fiercest striker then scored Zimbabwe’s winner.

Legendary Peter Kaumba had put Zambia in the lead with a header from a Moses Simwala corner. The equaliser was another headed goal by Mandigora the 1980 Soccer Star of the Year winner from a cross flighted by Kateya.

Tauro’s winner moments before full time contested for having been scored from a suspiciously offside position was as a result of another cross by the industrious former Metal Box and Dynamos leftback Oliver Kateya.

Zambia were not an ordinary side with players like Ken Mwape, Jan Simulambo, Godfrey Chitalu who is regarded as having been the most lethal forward in that country with 105 goals in one season, Simwala and Evans Katebe.

In the match Chidzambwa was said to have clashed with Zambian striker Clement Banda and had to be treated outside. When he returned to the field after a few seconds he is alleged to have asked what the scoreline was and which side they were defending.

For the occasion fans could not have hoped for better officials than centreman Felix Sanyika, Frank Valdermarca and Peter Biddulph.

In the third place play off Tanzania prevailed 2-0 over Mozambique at Barbourfields Stadium in a match handled by then top Bulawayo referee Paul Pretorius, famous for introducing cards and Cooper tests to the domestic game.

Other top players who were part of the squad announced for the historic tournament were Misheck Chidzambwa who with his brother were to be the first siblings called up to a national team, Charles Sibanda, Bethal Salis, Ephraim Moloi and gangly Rio Tinto goalkeeper Raphael Phiri.

Others who had been part of the training squad were Musa Muzanenhamo of Zimbabwe Saints, Majid Dhana of Arcadia, Zisco’s Salad Twaliki, Byron Emmanuel and Archieford Chimutanda.

The promising start against countries who had been part of the Fifa family, was a welcome development to a soccer crazy country which had been suspended from Fifa for over a decade.

The country’s official international match had been against Australia in 1969, lost 1-0 in Maputo in a World Cup final qualifier. The country had prior to 1980 been playing friendlies against South Africa and some rebel touring sides from Europe.

Immediately after the tournament Zimbabwe received an invitation to tour Zambia in June 1980 and the Zambians were back in August for another set of friendly matches at Luveve Stadium and Rufaro.

This year’s Independence Cup has Highlanders, Dynamos, FC Platinum and Chicken Inn participating. The semi-finals were held yesterday.

In an eventful month of national team football, the first ever Zimbabwe Under-20 side was announced with Mick Poole in charge.

The first Under-20: Lucky Dube (Bulawayo Wanderers), Cannisius Muchena (Chikwanha Rangers), James Takavada (Zisco), John Phiri (Rio Tinto), Ephraim Dzimbiri (Zisco), Anderson Maphosa (Rio Tinto), Dumisani Marowa (Dynamos), Edward Matsika (Dynamos), Frank Tande (Dynamos), Banikoto Phiri (Hippo Valley), Richard Simpson (Italians), Sebastain Chikwature (Dynamos), Rainos Mapfumo (Rio Tinto), Takesure Maverengo (DMB Tigers), John van Heiden (Callies), Lamson Banda (Mhangura), Assan Karigeni (Zisco), Kellon Makumbirosa (Mhangura), Douglas Kumuguma (Mhangura), Stanley Ndunduma (Caps United), Denis Jasi (Caps United), Alois Bikwa (Dynamos), Phillip Machingauta (Dynamos), Charlie Jones (Morgan High School), Zachariah Chironda (Rio Tinto), Samson Phiri (Zisco), Madinda Ndlovu (Highlanders), Chrispen Mukeri (Hippo Valley), John Reilander (Queens).