Online Reporter
HIGHLANDERS FC has produced some of Zimbabwe’s greatest goalkeepers, men who defended the Bosso badge with distinction and left an enduring legacy between the posts.
Sunday Life looks at some of the biggest names and most outstanding goalkeepers to guard goal since 1970 and Bruce Grobbelaar leads the race because of his achievements with Highlanders, country and Liverpool.
Identified from Salisbury Callies as a teenager in 1974, months after Highlanders had won the regional league title and Chibuku Trophy, Grobbelaar, a larger than life character justified why Silas Ndlovu had brought him to Barbourfields.
While attending Hamilton High School, he helped Highlanders win the regional title and reach the national league play-off, where Bosso secured their first national championship..
He may have left at the beginning of 1974, but Bruce left an enduring legacy at Highlanders and in Zimbabwe football.
To have reduced trusted Ananias Dube, a Bosso outstanding goalkeeper in 1972 and 1973 to a benchwarmer, The Jungleman proved his worth and went on to be a world figure in the game.
A call up to serve in the Rhodesian army, a stint with Durban City in South Africa and a return to the country for a very brief stay at Zimbabwe Saints, had Grobbelaar moving to Canada to play for
Vancouver Whitecaps before a move to Crewe and ultimately Liverpool in the then English First Division.
At Anfield his stock rose helping the club to both English and European success, a feat only achieved by himself among dozens of Zimbabwean players to play in Europe.
The charismatic goalkeeper was among the cornerstones of the famed Dream Team under coaches Reinhard Fabisch, Sunday Chidzambwa and Roy Barreto.
Fabisch and Barreto are late.
Dube, the Mzilikazi born and bred star, short and chubby, was an outstanding star, who was destined for Bosso legendary status without any doubt soiled his prospects of staying a celebrated goalkeeper with a move to Olympics in 1977.
Olympics were formed by disgruntled Highlanders players aided by some politicians and business people, that left Bosso with a few senior players after Dube, Itai Chieza, Sebastian Sibanda, Barry Daka, Stanley Nyika, Ephraim “Moloi” Moyo and Isaac Mafaro dumped Highlanders.
Dube led Highlanders to its first national tournament triumph the Chibuku Trophy in 1973 and a runner-up spot in the national league play off of the same year.
With Grobbelaar leaving in 1975, Dube returned to first choice sharing the goal guarding duties with reserve George Moyo who would later leave for the liberation struggle.
Dube had a decent 1976 season in which Highlanders finished second to Dynamos. The club faithfuls believe they were cheated as Dynamos were awarded a walkover after Bosso did not turn up at
Barbourfields citing incessant rains that had pounded Bulawayo and the poorly drained Barbourfields.
The Bulawayo team’s fans argue that Dynamos did not even turn up at Barbourfields. The bitter taste saw Highlanders pull out of the National League to found the South Zone Soccer League.
Peter Nkomo who was a junior player a winger many remember for his winner against Arcadia in 1981, when he moved from goalkeeper to wing after Madinda Ndlovu decided to protect his permed hair, got the better of Yonah Malunga who had been signed from Shabanie Mine.
By end of 1978 Nkomo was now a regular in goal and was part of the national Under-23 squad that participated in the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Nkomo, a former Goalkeeper of the Year, won the Chibuku Trophy in 1980 and the inaugural Heroes Trophy before going on to win more than 12 trophies during a career that came to an end in 1994 due to injury, despite appearing capable of playing for a couple more seasons.
Nkomo had several call ups to the Warriors at a time Zimbabwe had brilliant shot-stoppers led by Japhet Mparutsa, Raphael Phiri, John Sibanda, Langton Marizani and the late Lucky Dube, Victor Dliwayo and Mike Mhlanga.
Nicknamed Captain Oxo, Wuzu or Moscow, Nkomo leads the cast of outstanding goalkeepers for Highlanders after 1980 and for his scars, he even had two FA Cup victories and two league championships.
Amon Chimbalanga and Johannes Tshuma had brief spells of outstanding form after Peter Nkomo but their Highlanders did not win much as it went on a rebuilding exercise following the retirement of the players that carried the torch in the 1980s.
Edmore “MaKhwebu” Sibanda may have won the championship but failed to defend his goal line antics when it mattered most and obliterated all his early promise after arriving from Corrugated who were in the Zifa Southern Region League.
Brito Gwere arrived from Tongogara and helped Highlanders win the 2001 Championship alongside Tapuwa Kapini.
With calendar appearances like Grobbelaar and Nkomo, Kapini had a very good stay at Highlanders which earned him titles in 2001, 2002 and 2006. Supremely confident and imposing, he was a great motivator for the team leading the attack from his box and is credited with some spectacular goals.
He played for the Zimbabwe Under-20s, Under 23s and Warriors and is by far a club legend who earned his stripes on the field.
Perhaps one of the best goalkeepers to emerge from Hwange after the legendary Posani Sibanda, Chenjerayi Dube made a suicidal move to Amahlolanyama and found Kapini unflinching and eventually resigned himself to a move to lowly Railstars and Botswana.
There is no doubt that if not for Kapini, Dube a former national team goalkeeper and among the 11 Soccer Stars of the Year, could have gone far with his career at Highlanders.
Ariel Sibanda and Washington Arubi landed themselves among the Bosso best goalkeepers with outstanding services to club and country.
Sibanda was on the calendar a number of teams and won the Goalkeeper of the Year gong on numerous occasions, with his Chibuku Super Cup and NetOne Easy Call Trophy triumphs, he is the last goalkeeper to make a huge impact at the club.
There were others too like the 1985 wonderkid Joseph Tembo, former national junior team goalies Musa Masango and Sydney Zimunya who did not enjoy a good run with the senior team while many like Stilleto, Francis Muringayi, Pernell Mckop and Sogini Mahlangu paled into insignificance because of Nkomo’s aura and long service.
n Next week we look at Highlanders’ most outstanding rightbacks in the last 55 years. For feedback, WhatsApp 0786468644 or e-mail [email protected]
