GOAL MADE IN HEAVEN

Robson Sharuko

Metros Editor

ON the biggest stage in the domestic Premiership, a lanky forward provided the finest moment of a showdown plucked straight from heaven.

It was was a throwback to some of this epic contest’s finest battles.

The 24-year-old with a baby face, playing his first game at Rufaro, found a way to barricade himself from all the noise, and emotions, to produce a moment of sheer magic.

Mongameli Tshuma, whose nickname is ‘Smaller,’ was wearing the iconic number 7 – like George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.

He isn’t in the league of these greats but they all would have probably risen from their seats to salute his magical goal, if they were at Rufaro on Sunday.

Maybe, fate also sent a message to us that he was ‘Double Trouble’ by ensuring that his defining moment would come in the 77th minute, which can roughly be translated to mean two of the numbers on his shirt.

With the game tied at 1-1, the biggest crowd to watch a domestic Premiership game in a long time, was taken back to a time, and place, when magicians used to roam this league.

And, feast on this paddock.

The nerves, which power his sense of expectation exploded, when an opportunity presented itself inside the Dynamos area, and powered him to go for the kill.

The chances of either him, or the ‘keeper Tatenda Makoni, getting to the ball faster were probably 50-50. However, his outstretched leg won the contest, giving him ownership of the ball and eliminating the ‘keeper from the conversation.

There was still a big barrier, the bald-headed Collin Mujuru, to deal with.

Mongameli, without breaking stride, faked a shot with his left and Mujuru felt for the trick, there was no time to recover for him, when he realised he had been fooled.

Nature, too, didn’t allow that.

And, as he lay slumped on the floor, his only cruel reward was that he got a ring-side seat to watch the final act of the execution as Mongameli rolled the ball into an empty net.

It was a special moment.

Something which that massive crowd, that game, that titanic battle, truly deserved.