Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
NINETEEN-year-old FC Platinum striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya is one of the hottest teenagers in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and is among the top five on the goal scorers’ chart.
Ngwenya, who is in his debut Premiership season, is the joint-fourth leading scorer on seven goals with Whawha’s Jayden Barake, who turns 19 on July 7.
Stocky Chicken Inn forward Brian Muza (25) leads the chart with 10 goals, followed by Manica Diamonds’ Nyasha Chintuli (28), who is tied on nine goals with veteran Caps United striker William Manondo (31).
With the second-half of the season now underway, Ngwenya who bagged the Player of the Month accolade for May, is a player to watch.
A product of the FC Platinum junior development, he was roped into the first team by “sheer luck” after impressing coach Norman Mapeza when he had gone as a replacement when a number of senior players were injured.
Ngwenya has an imposing body and has been bullying defenders.
This afternoon, Ngwenya is expected to give Chicken Inn’s old horses, Moses Jackson (40) and Guide Goddard (34) a torrid time when they face off in a league match at Luveve Stadium.
The young striker gives credit to Mapeza for nurturing his talent and isn’t putting himself under pressure despite being among the leading scorers.
“Credit to coach Norman Mapeza who believed in me. He gave me the chance to play and he is also nurturing me. The coach believes in us, so we are just using the chances that our coach is giving us. My target is to score more than 10 goals and help the team to do better,” says Ngwenya.
He believes the four goals he scored in May were crucial to their unbeaten run and steady climb to second on the league table.
Mapeza wants the youngster to continue working hard and keep his feet on the ground.
Ngwenya was on the bench in last week’s game when FC Platinum beat Tenax 2-0 in Mutare.
He could have been rested to play in today’s encounter with all the energy he needs to torment the aging Chicken Inn backline.
Should Ngwenya be given a start, FC Platinum midfielders Blessing Moyo, Brian Banda, Donald Teguru and Walter Musona are expected to provide the supply line.
Muza will once again be Chicken’s main man in his false nine role from where he drops into midfield looking for spaces to explore, which makes it difficult for defenders to track him.
Having already hit double digits, Muza’s confidence is probably high and will rely on his strike partner Marlvin Hwata to tire the FC Platinum defence.
What makes FC Platinum’s job trickier could be the pressure to win and topple the Gamecocks from the top of the table.
This could leave room for Chicken Inn midfielders, who have a knack for scoring crucial goals.
Chicken Inn box-to-box midfielder Brett Amidu is one player who likes to make long-range attempts on goal.— @ZililoR
Online Reporter