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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
TWELVE months ago, FC Platinum teenager Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya was just another high school footballer at Guinea Fowl in Gweru.
And he wasn’t even the best performer in the school team by his own admission.
But, somehow he was on the podium together with his teammates as they celebrated victory in the Chibuku Super Cup at Mandava on Sunday, thanks to a year of hard work and a quick grasp of instructions from his coach Norman Mapeza.
The 18-year-old is not a fringe man at the Zvishavane side either. He is a regular and has scored twice while providing two assists in seven Chibuku Super Cup games, too.
Ngwenya was given a centre-forward role in a three-man attack which also had Donald Teguru and another youngster Panashe Mutimbanyoka (20).
“This was my first final in my green career. Although I have started several games in the tournament and in the league, I didn’t expect to start this one,” said Ngwenya.
“When the coach called my name, I was like woo. I was afraid of making costly mistakes in a game of this magnitude.
“You know you will be playing in your very first cup final in your very first season in the Premiership and the calibre of the opponent you are facing.
“You look at the crowd and imagine that the match would be broadcast live on Zimpapers Television Network. You feel those goosebumps. So to be honest I was very much afraid but I had to be a man and a professional. After all, those are the chances that you need to take and play your heart out if you are to grow as a footballer.
“I also received a lot of support from the senior guys, including captain Petros Mhari, Teguru and Brian Banda, all the senior guys just told me to play my normal game.”
Ngwenya created several good moments for himself, bullying the Ngezi Plutinum defence and with a little bit of luck he could have scored.
“It’s always difficult given where I am coming from but all the praise goes to my technical team led by Mapeza. They have put a lot of work on me and they have invested a lot of faith in me. I am happy we managed to win this game as it was tough and very tense. I hope to grow in the system and become a top striker. I will keep on working very hard.”
At a time Mapeza is looking at building his team around youngsters, Mutimbanyoka and left-back Kelvin Mangiza, just like Ngwenya, felt a huge leap in their career after also winning in their first cup final.
But the duo has played continental football unlike their lanky peer who is already relishing a dance in the African Safari given FC Platinum booked the ticket to represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup following Sunday’s triumph.
FC Platinum’s victory delivered different areas for their players with former Ngezi Platinum Stars forward Donald Teguru heaving a huge sigh after failing to win the trophy to Highlanders in 2019 when he was still with Rodwell Dhakama’s side.
Ironically, Teguru also won the trophy in 2016 when his former club beat FC Platinum 3-0 in the final at Baobab. That means he has become the first player to win the cup twice while turning out for either of the platinum sides.
Man-of-the match Brian Banda also won the Chibuku Super Cup for the second successive time having triumphed in 2019 when he was still playing for Highlanders.
Goalkeeper Mhari who saved Marvellous Mukumba’s penalty to carry the day for Mapeza’s team as well as Gift Bello also won the tournament for the second time having laid their hands on it first in 2014 when FC Platinum beat Harare City in the final.
The former Triangle duo of Donald Dzvinyai and Ralph Kawondera was also celebrating their second triumph in this competition after winning it with Triangle in 2018.
Online Reporter