Msendami vows to shine

Gerald Sibanda, Sports Reporter 

FORMER Highlanders attacker Daniel Msendami has promised to shine for Jwaneng Galaxy Football Club in the 2023/24 Africa Champions League.

The Botswana-based skilful player will have a chance to have his debut in continental football as his club, which won the league in Botswana qualified for the Champions League for the second consecutive season. Jwaneng Galaxy reached the group stages of the Champions League this year.

He played a pivotal role for the club as he finished the season as the third top scorer with seven goals in 25 league appearances and he will hope to take that form to greater heights. Speaking to the Sunday News Sport about how he felt about the contribution he had made to the team’s success, he said: “I am very happy that I have managed to score important goals that have helped my team win the league and also qualify for the Champions League. I am really confident that I will be able to play well and represent my nation at such a big stage whenever I get the chance to do so,” he said.

With a chance to compete with one of the continent’s finest teams such as Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa and Egyptian side Aly Ahly, it is a massive opportunity for Msendami to market himself as his form last season attracted attention from clubs in South Africa and beyond the continent’s borders.

The 23-year-old started his football career at boyhood club, Flame Stars in Bulawayo in the lower leagues before moving to Highlanders juniors. He was promoted to the first team in 2018 with the likes of Andrew Mbeba, but there was less joy as he failed to have enough game time. 

He was demoted to the developmental side Bosso90 and then had a loan spell at Vubachikwe FC in the Central Region Division One League.

He returned to Bosso90 in 2022 and did not last long as he was again promoted to the first team, but he was quickly snapped by the Botswana outfit before making a single appearance for the Highlanders first team.

“The move was very refreshing for me after so many frustrations I had previously faced in my career. At some point, stopping playing football came across my mind with the challenges I had been facing, especially when I got demoted from my first stint with the first team. My loan stay at Vumbachikwe was hampered by many injury problems, hence I decided to return back to Bosso90 earlier”, he also said.

“My advice to other young footballers in Zimbabwe especially during this tough time when they are not able to express their talent, is that they should try by all means to remain focused and understand that everything happens at the right time. Players should also give their best whenever they train or play a match, because you might never know who is watching, for example when I was scouted by Galaxy, we were playing a friendly match at Bosso90 against a Division Two side, and a couple of weeks later, I found myself in the first team and, eventually in Botswana.”

He has since attracted interest from South African sides such as Supersport United and Golden Arrows, and with the next season coming up, he will hope to pick up from where he left. 

Jwaneng Galaxy will kick off their pre-season training on 8 July.