adminSpeaking shortly after a 1-0 win over Motor Action on Sunday, the former Chapungu forward revealed his heart was “still blue” at least for another year.
“For a player it is always good to be where you win something and for me winning my first league gold medal and Mbada Diamonds Cup at Dynamos has inspired me to stay even longer.
“There are no offers outside the country and I still have a running contract with a year to go and my promise to the Dynamos fans is there is more to come,” said Malajila.
He urged the Dembare fans not to lose hope in his failure to get goals in the closing matches indicating it was a tactical move.
“I had a great striking partner in Roderick Mutumwa who was in a better position on the goals chart and needed our support to get the goals and that meant I had to play a provider role.
“In the last few matches I had to ensure I do the donkey work and supply the final touch to Roddie to make the kill,” said Malajila.
The Kadoma born star celebrated his first ever premiership title with the Harare giants after fortune eluded him at Chapungu and during his previous stint at Dembare. He later joined Club Africain of Tunisia who went on to loan him to a Libyan soccer side.
Malajila first tasted premiership action after being signed by Chapungu from the now defunct Northern Region outfit David Whitehead in 2005 and topped the scoring chart for two seasons after taking over from predatory Phillip Marufu.
In 2007 he joined Highlanders on a season’s loan and again topped the scorers chart at Bosso before joining Dembare in 2008.
Coincidentally, he joined both Bosso and Dynamos for CAF Champions League campaigns months after the two sides had been crowned champions leaving him without the decoration of a league medal.
Meanwhile, sungura maestro Alick Macheso congratulated his Chitungwiza neighbour Calisto Pasuwa for clinching a double.
“Calisto has done wonders in his few months as a head coach and he deserves our support,” said Macheso.
In a related development, Pasuwa has described himself as the happiest person in soccer after winning a double.
“For years people had known me as an assistant coach and I have proved myself as a good head coach and this makes me the happiest person in soccer today,” said Pasuwa.
Pasuwa took over from Lloyd Mutasa taking charge of the 11 remaining league matches and his team went on to be crowned the league champions and again won the inaugural Mbada Diamonds Cup.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League finalist, Allan Gahadzikwa and Simba Mambare urged Motor Action players and fans not lose hope after the Mbada Diamonds Cup defeat to Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Gahadzikwa, the Mbada Diamonds Cup Player of the tournament said the Mighty Bulls were still competitive enough to mount a bigger challenge next season.
“We have lost but people need to remember it takes the best to reach the finals but unfortunately the two finalist teams cannot win it at the same time.
“It was either Dynamos or Motor Action and Dembare won it and congratulations to them and to my teammates and our fans I urge them not to lose hope,” said Gahadzikwa.
He pocketed $1500 for being the inaugural tournament’s player.
He was supported by Mambare who said though it was disheartening to lose, the Mighty Bulls have displayed character to win big.
Despite the individual glory of making it in the top 11 soccer players on Saturday and winning the Player of the tournament on Sunday, the tall striker will however rue the goal drought he experienced from the second round as he fell one goal short of the required minimum of three goals to win the Mbada Diamonds Cup golden boot award.
Gahadzikwa together with Roderick Mutumwa (Dynamos), Lloyd Masakusi (Gunners), Felix Kuswatukwa (Blue Ribbon) and Nelson Mazivisa (Kiglon) finished joint top with two goals each but tournament rules placed the minimum at three goals.
Dynamos goalkeeper, Washington Arubi also capped a fine afternoon after grabbing the day’s Man of the match and Goalkeeper of the tournament pocketing $500 and $1000 respectively while Mutumwa won the rare award for his last goal of the tournament.
Mbada Diamonds Cup 2011 edition in statistics
First Round
Saturday 24 September 2011
At Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo, Match 6
Hwange 0 Shootings Stars 1 Francis Msalaza Kanda 89mins Man of the match – Nkosana Siwela (Hwange)
At Gibbo Stadium, Chiredzi, Match 2
FC Platinum 1 Menard Mupera 49mins,(pen) Black Mambas 0 Man of the match – Tafadzwa Dube (FC Platinum)
At Mucheke Stadium, Masvingo, Match 5
Kiglon 3 Nelson Mazivisa 32mins, 76min (pen), Last Chibwiro 87mins Chicken Inn 1 Evans Chikwaikwai 29min Man of the match – Patrick Makuvaza (Kiglon)
At Hwange Colliery, Hwange, Match 4
Zimbabwe Saints 0 Highlanders 0 Man of the match – Bekithemba Ndlovu (Highlanders) *Saints win 6-5 on penalties Abraham Mbaiwa, Kevin Sibanda, Joel Nyama, Makhosi Ncube, Munyaradzi Diya and Sydney Linyama converted for Zimbabwe Saints, Graham Ncube, Lawson Nkomo, Louis Matawu, Xolani Ncube and Gilbert Banda (converted for Highlanders).
However the goals the spot kicks are not counted for the Golden Boot award
Sunday 25 September 2011
At National Sports Stadium, Harare, Match 3
Caps United 0 Dynamos 1 own goal David Sengu 73min off a Denver Mukamba cross Man of the match – Milton Makopa (Dynamos)
At Ascot Stadium, Gweru, Match 8
Blue Ribbon 4 Charles Rukwani 19mins, Felix Kuswatuka 51mins, 58mins, Erea Phiri 62mins Shabanie Mine 0 Man of the match – Erea Phiri (Blue Ribbon)
At Nyamhunga Stadium, Kariba, Match 7
Gunners 2 Lloyd Masakusi 42mins,60mins Masvingo United 0 Man of match Peanut Bhamusi (Gunners)
At Sakubva Stadium, Mutare, Match 1
Monomotapa 1 Russel Madamombe 13mins Motor Action 2 Allan Gahadzikwa 35mins, 80mins Man of the match – Allan Gahadzikwa (Motor Action)
l Highlanders, Shabanie Mine, Monomotapa, Black Mambas, Masvingo United,
Caps United, Hwange and Chicken Inn pocket $5000
Quarter Finals
At Torwood Stadium, Redcliff Q1 23 October 2011
Motor Action 1 Isaac Masame 34mins Blue Ribbon 0 Man of the match – Isaac Masame
At Colliery Stadium, Hwange, Q2 22 October 2011
Gunners 1 Cliff Sekete 39mins FC Platinum 1 Charles Sibanda 37mins
Man of the match – Tafadzwa Dube (FC Platinum *FC Platinum win 6-5 on penalties
Mernard Mupera, Charles Sibanda, Benjamin Marere, Thabani Kamusoko and Brighton Dube converting for FC Platinum. Gunners stayed in the hunt through Cliff Sekete, Qadar Amin, Moses Muchenje,
Ali Sadiki and Hardlife Zvirekwi, but their skipper Pardon Chinungwa agonisingly fluffed his spot kick to hand FC Platinum the win.
However penalty conversions do not count.
At Maglas Stadium, Zvishavane 03 23 October 2011
Dynamos 3 Tawanda Muparati 2mins, Roderick Mutuma 35mins, Denver Mukamba 77mins Shooting Stars 0 Man of the match – Roderick Mutuma (Dynamos)
At Chishamiso Stadium, Hippo Valley Q4 22 October 2011
Zimbabwe Saints 0 Kiglon Bird 0 Man of the match – Isaac Pitamuja (Kiglon Bird) Zimbabwe Saints win 9-8 on penalties Abraham Mbaiwa, Kelvin Sibanda, Sydney Linyama, Gift Phiri, Ngonidzashe
Murisa, Mlamuli Phakhathi, Evans Rusike, Chipo Tsodzo and Munyaradzi Diya converted for Zimbabwe Saints while Phillip Sithole, Isaac Pitamuja, Kennedy Mageja, Arnold Chivheya, Last Chibwiro, Casper Machona, Evas Ebabali, and Peter Muzondo converted for Kiglon Birds.
Losing quarter finalists pocket $7500
Semi Finals
At Sakubva Stadium, Mutare, 6 November 2011 S1
Motor Action 2 Tawanda Ushe 12 minutes, Passmore Benard 77 minutes Zimbabwe Saints 0 Man of the match – Munyaradzi Diya (Zimbabwe Saints) At Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo 6 November 2011 S2 FCPlatinum 0 Dynamos 1 Cuthbert Malajila 3 minutes Man of the match – Washington Arubi (Dynamos) l Losing semi finalists pocket $10000
At National Sports Stadium, Harare, 27 November 2011
Final
Dynamos 1 Roderick Mutumwa 76mins Motor Action 0 Man of the match – Washington Arubi (Dynamos)
Top Goals scorers
2: Allan Gahadzikwa (Motor Action), Lloyd Masakusi (Gunners), Nelson, Mazivisa (Kiglon), Felix Kuswatuka(Blue Ribbon), Roderick Mutuma, (Dynamos)
1: Charles Sibanda (FC Platinum), Cliff Sekete (Gunners), Francis Kanda (Shooting Stars), Charles Rukwanhi and Erea Phiri (Blue Ribbon), Evans Chikwaikwai (Chicken Inn), Russel Madamombe (Monomotapa), Menard Mupera (FC Platinum) Last Chibwiro (Kiglon). Isaac Masame (Motor Action), Tendai Muparati (Dynamos), Cuthbert Malajila (Dynamos), Tawanda Ushe (Motor Action), Passmore Benard (Motor Action), and Denver Mukamba (Dynamos).
Own Goal: David Sengu (Caps United) (Dynamos’ goal off a Denver Mukamba cross)
Notes –
Chicken Inn’s Evans Chikwaikwai scored the Cup’s first goal after 39 minutes with Kiglon’s Nelson Mazivisa grabbing the first tournament’s brace.
Three matches Zimbabwe Saints versus Highlanders, Zimbabwe Saints versus Kiglon Bird, FC Platinum versus Gunners decided on penalties after deadlock 90 mins.
16 goals scored in the first round, four braces, one own goal. Six goals were scored at the quarter final stage, three goals were scored at the semi final stage. One goal scored in final. Tawanda
Muparati’s goal is the fastest in all matches – 2 minutes.
Cuthbert Malajila’s goal is the second fastest in the tournament after 4mins.
Semi final matches handled by South African and Zambian referees.
Performance Statistics (90mins results)
| Dynamos | 4 | 4 |
0 |
0 | 6 | 0 | +5 | 12 |
| Motor Action | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +4 | 9 |
| Gunners | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| Kiglon | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| FC Platinum | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | +0 | 4 |
| Blue Ribbon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| Shooting Stars | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| Zim Saints | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 2 |
| Highlanders | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Monomotapa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| Black Mambas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Caps United | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Hwange | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Chicken Inn | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| Masvingo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| Shabanie Mine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
Player of the tournament – Allan Gahadzikwa (Motor Action)
Goalkeeper of the tournament – Washington Arubi (Dynamos)
Scorer of last goal – Roderick Mutumwa (Dynamos)
Golden Boot – No winner because none scored the minimum required three goals.
Compiled by Noel Munzabwa (0772756333, [email protected] )
*Putting a finer touch to football stats is our goal*
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter