MAPISA RISES TO THE BIG OCCASION

Tadious Manyepo

Zimpapers Sports Hub

DYNAMOS goalkeeper Martin Mapisa has admitted that he feared his career would go down the drain after taking a huge gamble to play in the local league.

The gangly Warriors ‘keeper joined the Glamour Boys after close to six years in the Spanish lower league.

He went straight to the European country from the Aces Youth Soccer Academy.

And that was driving his doubts as he signed for the Glamour Boys with so much put on his shoulder.

But he has proved to be the man for the big team and on big occasions after leading Dynamos to their second Chibuku Super Cup title in a huge way.

Dynamos completed a remarkable tale on Saturday after beating Ngezi Platinum Stars 4-2 on penalties, the match having ended 1-1 after 120 minutes of reverting action.

They won the quarter-final, semi-final and final in a penalty shootout.

Mapisa stopped two penalties on Saturday, denying Moses Demera and Farai Madhanaga, having also smothered Forster Dhemere’s effort when Dynamos beat Manica Dynamos in the last-four.

The Glamour Boys had also beaten Yadah in the quarter-finals on penalties when one of Mapisa’s deputies Tatenda Makoni emerged the hero with a save in the lottery to hand Dynamos the advantage.

“I would like to thank God. God is the only way because without Him, I could have gone down given that I was coming down from Europe,” said Mapisa.

“Football is a tricky game and I always feared I would drop in terms of confidence given where I was coming from as a goalkeeper.

“I am happy I managed to stand my ground and be able to establish myself in the Dynamos set-up. Like what I said early in the season, I came back home to be able to re-launch my career and try to go back to Europe from a better status point of view.”

He added:

“It’s amazing to win a Cup, big or small. We have been phenomenal in this Chibuku Super Cup, knocking out teams with a real show of gallant fighters.

“We knocked each opponent in the quarter and semi-finals on penalties and we did it again in the final. And to win the trophy in such a manner is very amazing.

“To be the one who stood tall to take down the penalties is also exciting. There is a trick that I was applying. If you look at players whose penalties I stopped, I know them all.

“I have my own tricks, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t but I am glad they worked in this case.”