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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
MIDFIELDER Marshall Munetsi’s fine form in the French Ligue 1 football continued at the weekend when he starred with a goal and an assist in Stade de Reims’ Champagne region derby victory over Troyes on Sunday.
The Zimbabwe international was given the highest rating of 8/10 by the Reims Media Football after producing one of his best performances this season in the 4-0 thrashing of Troyes.
Munetsi opened the scoring for Reims when he rushed through the middle and met a cross from Japanese international Junya Ito at the back post, with just 10 minutes played. He then set up Frenchman Myziane Maolida for the second just before half-time.
The league’s top scorer Folarin Balogun made it 3-0 for Reims with his 15th goal of the campaign, five minutes into the second half. Munetsi pulled out of the game injured in the 64th minute and the man who replaced him, Jens Cajuste, added a late fourth for Reims.
Munetsi now has four goals and two assists to his name this season.
He was back in the defensive midfield after he featured as a centre-back in last week’s Coupe de France defeat to Toulouse in the round of 16.
Munetsi has played 20 games for Reims this year, mostly as a defensive midfielder. He has been adventurous in his style of play as a box-to-box midfielder and, apart from executing his defensive duties well, he has often found himself in the opposition box when his team was in attack.
Before his latest goal on Sunday, he had scored in the 1-1 draw against Montpellier and in the wins over Angers and most recently AC Ajaccio.
Reims remain unbeaten in 15 games under their 30-year-old manager, Will Still, who is still to taste defeat since his appointment last October.
Reims could still fancy their dream of targeting a berth in Europe next season as they are nine points away from the Europa Conference League qualifiers.
There are still about 15 more games to be played before the French Ligue 1 comes to an end. But Munetsi will be praying to maintain his fitness after he limped out injured on Sunday. The midfielder hurt himself during Sunday’s game and went straight back to the dressing room.
The club has not commented on the injury which, however, did not look serious.
Munetsi’s heart is still bleeding for Zimbabwe’s return to international football. He is reminded of what he and many other Zimbabwean footballers and fans are missing every time the qualifiers for the 2023 AFCON qualifiers come around.
The next round of the qualifiers is set for next month. Zimbabwe were drawn in Group K with neighbours South Africa, Liberia and 2022 World Cup continental heroes, Morocco.
“As we approach the next set of qualifiers, as football players we are reminded that our national teams remain banned from participating in any international assignments, this reminder cascades down to the fans as well, they can’t enjoy the national teams they love to watch playing,” Munetsi wrote on Twitter yesterday.
“As things stand, we continue to lose a generation of talented footballers because they do not have opportunities to showcase their talent during national team assignments.
“This situation continues to harm not only the future of football in the country but it is depriving the general community of the downstream benefits that football can bring to the social economy of the nation.
“I continue to implore the SRC and ZIFA, urging all the parties involved to find common ground and come to an amicable solution that will allow our football to survive as we move into the future.
“Our football needs us to find each other and for us to move in one direction and speak with one voice. The participation of our country at major tournaments stands to benefit us more,” said Munetsi.
Zimbabwe could not take part in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers as they are currently suspended from international football events.
ZIFA’s membership rights were suspended by FIFA last year in February following the turmoil that had engulfed the administration of the domestic game.
The Sports Commission have since commissioned a Restructuring Committee that recently recommended the path the game should take for it to return stronger and more competitive on the international scene.
The recommendations will be discussed by ZIFA at a workshop later this month before they could be adopted and incorporated into the domestic football rule book.
Online Reporter