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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
Europe-based Zimbabwean football players are building up confidence ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers with defender Tendayi Darikwa on top of the world after he scored his first league goal in six years.
The 29-year-old was the toast of the Zimbabwean players in England to help English League One side Wigan Athletic to a deserved 2-0 victory over Charlton Athletic at the weekend.
France-based midfielder Marshall Munetsi also scored his fist goal of the season in Stade de Reims’ 1-1 draw at Metz in the French Ligue 1 yesterday. Munetsi headed his side in front with only seven minutes played but the hosts hit back exactly seven minutes later.
Forward, Macauley Bonne, whose future with the Warriors is not certain, also had a fine weekend when he grabbed his first brace for Ipswich Town in their 2-2 draw against MK Dons on Saturday.
Left-back Brendan Galloway, who recently sent out a message that he is available for the Warriors after missing previous call-ups, was involved in Plymouth Argyle’s 3-0 hammering of Shrewsbury on the same day.
Jordan Zemura continued with his steady progress at English Championship side AFC Bournemouth after he was handed his fourth straight appearance this season.
Striker Admiral Muskwe also played a full game for Luton Town in the Championship but Marvelous Nakamba was not involved in Aston Villa’s 2-0 win over Newcastle in the English Premier Soccer League at the weekend.
The weekend belonged to Darikwa, who had last celebrated a league goal in 2015 when he grabbed the consolation in Burnley’s 1-2 defeat by Reading in the English Championship.
But the last time that he was on target was when Nottingham Forrest lost 1-5 to Chelsea in the 2017 Carabao Cup third round.
Darikwa, who was recently named captain of Wigan, brought back the memories on Saturday when he made a perfect dive in the 88th minute to break the deadlock at Charlton, before teammate James McClean made it 2-0 for the Latics deep in injury-time.
“It’s a great moment for myself to finally get on the scoresheet,” he told the Latics TV.
“It’s been a while since I’ve scored a goal, but the main thing is that it was an important goal for the team.
“It gave us the lead in the game — and to do it in front of the away fans — it was a special moment.
“I said after the Sunderland game that we will get better and stronger, and in the last few performances I think we’re starting to show that. Another Zimbabwean playing in the English League One, Bonne, was on target for Ipswich but his two goals could not secure maximum points against MK Dons.
The Zimbabwean opened the scoring with a fine left-footed effort in the first half before restoring the Blues’ lead in the second period following a Scott Twine free-kick. The game ended 2-2. But it’s now three goals in four appearances for Bonne, who was also on target in the season-opening 2-2 draw against Morecambe last month. Ipswich Town, however, are still to win a game in four outings.
“I’m gutted because we should be winning the game,” Macauley told his club’s media.
“Mistakes happen, though, and as soon as they stop I think we’ll be fine. We need to cut them out, we know that.
Defender Galloway played 90 minutes in Plymouth Argyle’s 3-0 win at Shrewsbury. It was the third time in the last four matches that Argyle had kept a clean sheet, doing so against Peterborough United and Gillingham previously. Galloway, who was part of a back three that headed and blocked everything that came their way, was delighted with the team’s performance. Even deep into stoppage time with Argyle cruising at 3-0 the work rate and tenacity in defence was impressive.
“I love putting my body on the line, sometimes you get hurt sometimes you don’t. If it means getting a clean sheet, myself and the whole team will be willing to do that.
This was Plymouth Argyle’s best away performance since returning to League One.
Galloway got 8/10 rating from the Plymouth Herald for his performance at the weekend.
“If he can stay fit — and that unfortunately has been an issue for him throughout his career — Galloway could turn out to be an excellent signing for the Pilgrims with the undoubted quality that he possesses,” said the newspaper’s columnist, Chris Errington.
Former Leicester City development striker, Muskwe played 90 minutes in Luton Town’s 0-5 home defeat at the hands of Birmingham in the English Championship on Saturday.
Muskwe has featured in all four games in the Championship campaign and is yet to take off the mark. Defender, Zemura, was involved in Bournemouth’s 2-2 draw against Blackpool. Zemura has played in all four Championship games for the Cherries and was disappointed after his side gave away a good first half lead on Saturday. Midfielder Nakamba was an unused substitute in Aston Villa’s 2-0 win over Newcastle. The 26-year old, who was drafted in Villa’s opening fixture last week which ended in a 2-3 defeat to Watford, found himself back on the bench following the return of Brazilian Douglas Luis from the Olympics.
France-based forward Tino Kadewere continued to get some minutes after he was introduced as a 74th minute substitute in Olympique Lyon’s 3-3 draw against Clermont yesterday
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