Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WHEN the final whistle blew at Ngoni in a league match between MWOS and Chicken Inn on 30 August, Abubakar Moffat could not hold back tears.
The 27-year-old midfielder had been in Zimbabwe barely two months, but the burden of MWOS’ 57-day winless run had weighed heavily on his shoulders. It was more than just a 2-0 victory over Chicken Inn. For Moffat, it was a release. It was proof that his gamble to come back home from Spain’s lower leagues was not a mistake.
“We really wanted that win,” Moffat said afterwards, his voice heavy with relief. “The fact that the team had not won since I joined was weighing down on me heavily.”
Those tears told a bigger story — a journey that began at the Aces Youth Soccer Academy, meandered through six years in the obscurity of Spain’s third- and fourth-tier football, and has now brought him to Norton, where he has quickly become the beating heart of coach Lloyd Mutasa’s MWOS.
World football has countless examples of mid-season transfers failing to settle.
Coaches often talk about timing, fitness and chemistry. Yet in Zimbabwe’s 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL), a handful of players have bucked that trend.
Denver Mukamba’s rebirth at Dynamos is one case. Knowledge Musona’s instant impact at title-chasing Scottland is another.
But few arrivals have carried the same emotional and tactical weight as Moffat’s.
Since his debut in July, the midfielder has been a constant presence.
He was man-of-the-match in MWOS’ narrow 0-1 loss to log leaders Simba Bhora the weekend before the Chicken Inn match. Moffat was man-of-the-match again in the win against Chicken Inn, which was his first taste of victory in MWOS colours, and it could hardly have come at a better time.
That win lifted The Punters to 46 points, eight behind Simba Bhora, who dropped points at GreenFuel. Suddenly, MWOS were back in the title conversation, with momentum on their side and Moffat in the thick of it.
Moffat’s ability to dictate tempo, shield the defence and drive attacks has brought balance to MWOS’ midfield.
“I have now adjusted to the system at MWOS and I am hoping to keep doing well for the club,” he said.
Central to his settling is the mentorship of Mutasa, a coach who has managed to blend fatherly guidance with tactical demands.
“Our coach, Lloyd Mutasa, is like a father,” Moffat said. “He has time for players. Sometimes he sits with me and we talk about how best I can improve my game.”
Mutasa, in turn, is not shy about revealing just how much faith he has always had in the midfielder.
“I always knew about Moffat from the days I used to go and watch Aces Academy play,” said the veteran coach.
“Remember, my sons, Wisdom and Panashe, also played there.
“So, I knew the boy had talent and it was not difficult to convince him to join MWOS.”
Moffat’s career path mirrors that of many Aces graduates, raw talent honed in Harare, then a jump to Europe in search of brighter lights. At Aces, he came through the same stream as Dynamos skipper Emmanuel Jalai, MWOS goalkeeper Martin Mapisa and Panashe Mutasa.
Spain became home for him for six years.
Unlike fellow graduates who cracked top-flight football, Moffat toiled in the lower leagues. The dream never quite broke through the ceiling, yet the experience hardened him.
When Mutasa reached out earlier this year, the midfielder saw it as a chance to rebuild at home. And in just a few weeks, he has gone from relative anonymity to one of the league’s most talked about players.
That rise has not gone unnoticed.
Among fans and pundits, there is already chatter about whether Moffat deserves a Warriors call-up or not.
For now, Moffat is staying humble.
“Of course, every player wants to play for the national team, but it’s up to the coaches,” he said. “Those selected will do the job for the nation. I will just take each game as it comes.”
His words may be measured, but the noise around him is only getting louder.
Zimbabwe’s midfield has been criticised as fragile, and the clamour for fresh blood grows with each passing week.
Moffat’s story is not just about him. It is about what he has brought to MWOS — belief.
For two months, the Norton side had stumbled, dropping out of the title picture.
Fans grumbled, pressure mounted and the dressing room grew restless.
Then came the victory over Chicken Inn, and with it, a sense that the tide could turn.
Moffat symbolised that shift. His emotional breakdown after the final whistle captured the weight the whole team had been carrying.
His presence on the pitch, meanwhile, showed what MWOS had been missing: calm, control and drive.
No wonder supporters have started calling him the new sheriff in Norton.
The PSL title race remains wide open. Simba Bhora lead, but Scottland, Ngezi Platinum Stars and now MWOS are all lurking.
Every game counts, and momentum is everything.
For MWOS, much will depend on whether or not Moffat can keep his form and fitness through the season’s final stretch.
