adminCollin Matiza
Sports Editor
YOUNG Zimbabwean defender, Bolton Makwedza’s hopes of winning his first winners’ medal at junior football level in England, ended in tears on Tuesday.
His Rotherham United Under-18 side lost 0-1 to Wimbledon FC Youth Under-18 in the 2019/20 Youth Alliance Cup final at AESSEAL New York Stadium in Rotherham on Tuesday afternoon.
The Millers suffered heartbreak as a late goal from Dons’ goalkeeper, Matthew Cox, saw the visitors take the trophy back with them to South London.
According to reports from Rotherham, both sides had opportunities to score in a lively final.
Jerome Greaves went closest for the Millers with eight minutes to go.
The striker latched on to the rebound, following a smart Cox save from George Scott’s strike, but saw his effort cannon off the woodwork.
With the two teams pressing for the opener, it was the Dons who found it, in bizarre fashion.
A long-ball over the top from Cox deceived Rotherham stopper, Elliot Ellis, who could not prevent it from finding its way into goal.
Makwedza (17) was in Rotherham’s starting line-up, playing at rightback.
He showed positive defensive, and offensive, qualities.
He also ventured forward, wide on the flanks, to support the attacks.
The game was a swansong for both teams as they played probably their last Under-18 final of the EFL Youth Alliance Cup Final.
The game was played with high intensity and pressure, the pace was grinding straight from the word go right up to the end.
Makwedza showed his confidence in receiving the ball in all areas of the pitch.
Being comfortable as a centreback, his sense of defensive duties never diminished, even when he was playing as a wingback, who aided the attack with his overlapping hard runs throughout the game.
This was a game that every player on the pitch would sympathise with the Rotherham goalkeeper as his error of judgment wrecked their hopes of winning the final.
Makwedza’s imposing physical stature, and ability to start play from the back, his confidence to receive the ball, is a hallmark of his five-a-side football playing days as a junior player in Leeds, under the Super Eagles Futsal Club he joined when he was nine years of age.
UK-based Zimbabwean coach, Phillip Zulu, runs Super Eagles Futsal Club where he has groomed five more young players with their roots in this country — Ben Makwedza, Lucky Moyo, Nathan Manyange, Vincent Beni and Romeo Madhamu.
Makwedza’s steady progress is hinged on his exposure with the first team pre-season engagements during the start of the 2020-21 season.
Although his side lost in Tuesday’s Cup Final, he will cherish every moment of it as he prepares for bigger things in his professional career.
Rotherham began their Youth Alliance Cup campaign in October last year, with victory over Mansfield Town at Roundwood, and were due to take on Fleetwood Town in the Northern Area final prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, and subsequent curtailment of the season.
When the fixture was eventually played in October, goals from Jerome Greaves and Ciaran McGuckin, booked Richard Hairyes’ side a place in the final.
The fixture at AESSEAL New York Stadium on Tuesday was played behind-closed-doors.
However, following agreement between the two clubs and the EFL, fans of the Millers and Dons were still able to watch the show-piece final live on Rotherham’s YouTube channel free of charge.
Online Reporter