adminMurape, full of running on a waterlogged National Sports Stadium pitch, lasted 59 minutes on Sunday in what was to be his final match in the famous blue Dynamos’ shirt before being replaced by the speedy Martin Vengesayi.
Roderick Mutuma’s solitary strike in the 76th minute settled matters in the richest knockout tournament on the land. Murape also played in an influential role as Dynamos weathered the FC Platinum storm to claim their 18th league title since the club’s formation in 1963 on superior goal difference.
In fact, when Dynamos took to the battlefield against Motor Action in the Mbada Diamonds final, Murape was the only player to have grown within the Harare giants’ system in the starting line up.
The pencil slim former Churchill High School student began his career as a raw teenager featuring in the Dynamos juniors and rose through the club’s ranks to become their captain in 2008.
His crowning moment as an individual came in 2007 when he was voted the Soccer Star of the Year. The 31-year-old midfielder said although he felt he still had more years in him to continue playing, he wanted to pursue other avenues, including studying for some coaching badges.He believes he achieved a lot in his stop-start 17-year career.
Murape quits the game after winning three league titles in 1997, 2007 and 2011 and several cups in a career in which he also worked under a number of coaches like Sunday Chidzambwa, David George, Clemens Westerhof, Clayton Munemo, Moses Chunga, Lloyd Mutasa and lately Callisto Pasuwa.
“I think in terms of playing I have achieved what I wanted to achieve in football. I have been at Dynamos since 1994 rising from the juniors up to the senior team and playing Champions League football and I thank God for that . . . hapana chinonzi kupera, it’s only the time that just changes. “Hazvisi zvedu izvi ndezvashe,” Murape said.
Online Reporter