Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN international and Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba equalled his last season’s English Premiership appearances when he played his 13th game of the 2021/22 campaign in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Leicester City.
He has started eight games and made five appearances from the bench.
With six Premiership matches left, Nakamba is likely to surpass last year’s 13 games appearances.
In his debut 2019/20 season, Nakamba made 29 appearances, including 19 starts.
On Saturday, Nakamba, who was making his return to action after being out for four months with a knee injury picked up in December against Liverpool, was introduced in the 89th minute for Jacob Ramsey.
Despite playing a few minutes, the Zimbabwean midfielder was elated to be back in action.
“It was good to be back again with the boys and I was happy to be back again on the pitch.
I’m very positive about it.
We got a point and a clean sheet away from home.
“Now, we have to look ahead to the next match, I think we did well collectively as a group.
We just need to push ourselves and keep believing in what the gaffer is telling everyone, pushing everyone together as a team,” Nakamba told the Villa website.
Villa are 15th in the EPL with 37 points, eight points above relegation.
Before injury, Nakamba had been a regular starter under coach Steven Gerrard and he could play a key role in Villa’s last games.
Gerrard is on record saying he will gradually introduce the Zimbabwean, meaning Nakamba might step up from the bench in the remaining matches.
In the United States of America, defender Teenage Hadebe missed Houston Dynamo’s 2-1 defeat to FC Dallas through suspension. Hadebe was red-carded in Portland Timbers’ 0-0 draw and will return to action after Dynamo’s next match.
The defeat to Dallas saw Houston sliding into seventh position on the log with 12 points after eight outings and they trail leaders Los Angeles by seven points.
Former Harare City striker Tino Kadewere was an unused substitute in Lyon’s 5-2 win against Montpellier in France’s topflight league.
Kadewere has not had the best of seasons at Lyon, making 15 appearances and playing 497 minutes.
He has started in three of these appearances across their 34 fixtures and has been mainly used as a substitute on 12 occasions.
Compared to last season when he scored 10 goals from 33 appearances, Kadewere has only one goal he scored on February 19 in their 1-1 draw with Lens.
Marshal Munetsi, who is also based in France, came in the 46th minute replacing Bradley Locko as Reims went down 1-0 to giants Marseille.
– @ZililoR
Online Reporter