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Fungai Muderere . .
HOME will always be home!
On his emotional return to Bulawayo this time wearing a Yadah FC jersey, Ralph Matema, who at the turn of the century endeared himself with the Bosso faithful that later nicknamed him “Banolila” came with love.
After the Chibuku Super Cup tie last Sunday where Bosso beat Yadah FC 2-1, Matema was seen hugging his former teammates at Highlanders.
“It was a way of paying respect to the people who helped me make a name. I have a great love for Highlanders. Bosso gave me a platform to shine hence I joined one of the biggest clubs in Africa, Orlando Pirates. I will always love Bosso and I’m always caught in between when I’m playing against them,” said Matema who was released by Bosso at the end of last year.
Matema (36) joined Bosso in 2004 from little known Kambuzuma United and scored on his debut for the Bulawayo giants before leaving for South Africa and returning more than 10 years later.
Matema was the 2006 Golden Boot Award winner after he banged in a massive 19 goal while turning out for Highlanders, incidentally that season was the last time Bosso won the league.
In 2007, he scored 10 goals in 11 games for Bosso and his goal scoring form saw him snapped up by Absa Premiership giants Orlando Pirates mid way into 2007. However, he failed to achieve the same success and later turned out for other South African sides such as Witbank Spurs and Jomo Cosmos.
While at the Buccaneers’ camp, injuries restricted Banolila more to life on the sidelines than within the lines.
“It was a great honour for me to play for a big team like Pirates and it was always nice to play before passionate fans like Pirates supporters. My main ambition was to make a big contribution for the success of the team but unfortunately a hamstring injury got the better of me,” he said.
At Spurs, Matema played alongside two fellow Zimbabweans — the Mbaiwa twins Patrick and Peter then forming a deadly combination with his striking partner Lungelo Yekiso.
He rejoined Highlanders for his second stint in September 2015 in a season he scored and created crucial goals for Bosso as they lifted themselves out of the relegation zone.
At the beginning of the year, the veteran striker was one of the senior players released from the club by new Bosso coach Ndlovu when he took over, alongside the likes of Eric Mudzingwa, Tendai Ngulube and Simon “Yola” Munawa.
Ndlovu opted to groom young players and promote them into the senior team, instead of recycling the old horses.
While the other “outcasts” chose to remain in Bulawayo where they joined teams from the City of Kings, Banolila, decided to move to the capital and join Yadah FC where he has been enjoying his game.
At 36, Matema has undoubtedly proven to be a more mature and experienced player that Yadah FC will seek to have in the field of play. But come end of next year Banolila says he will hang his boots.
“It’s always difficult for players to announce when you will retire from this game. But as for me I think after one more season I will hang my boots,” said the soft spoken former Bosso fans darling.
derick.khumalo