Kutinyu back at Gamecocks

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
MIDFIELDER Tafadzwa Kutinyu has bounced back at Chicken Inn hoping to relaunch his career following termination of his contract by Guinea side Horoya AC in March 2020.

The central box-to-box midfielder was captured getting his Covid-19 jab with the rest of the Gamecocks squad yesterday.

Chicken Inn gaffer Joey Antipas is excited by the return of Kutinyu, who played an integral part in the Gamecocks’ 2015 championship win.

“Kutinyu is back. He’s in fantastic mood and is a player hungry to play. It’s always exciting to have players in the calibre of Kutinyu, who’ve amassed experience from their stints outside the country,” said Antipas.

The abrupt end of Guinea’s football season in 2020 due to Covid-19, spoiled what had been a perfect debut season for the Zimbabwean international.

Then a national team midfielder, Kutinyu had joined Horoya AC at the beginning of the 2019/20 from Azam in Tanzania.

At the time of the league suspension, Horoya AC topped the table with 29 points from 13 games.

They were leading second-placed Wakiyra by four points.

When he left West Africa, Horoya AC had also qualified for the Caf Confederation Cup semi-final.

Kutinyu left Chicken Inn after signing a two-year contract with former Tanzania Premiership side Singida United in 2017.

The lanky midfielder then moved to Azam the following year following an impressive debut season.

At that time, Kutinyu linked up with Zimbabwean players in Tanzania, Bruce Kangwa at Azam, the Young Africa duo of Thabani Kamusoko and Donald Ngoma as well as Method Mwanjali at Simba SC.

The former Bantu Rovers midfielder is on record saying competing against the physically gifted West Africans had improved his game.

“Besides being hot, competition has been tight and it’s not easy playing against the heavily built West Africans.

It has improved my game and I’ve also added a couple of kilos,” he said.

The 27-year-old midfielder rejoins Chicken Inn when it has lost Tichaona Chipunza to Zambian side Nkana FC and Valentine Kadonzvo who has joined Ngezi Platinum Stars. – @ZililoR