Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Red Sea city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s commercial hub and historic gateway for Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca, is about to witness a new chapter in Zimbabwean football. It is here that red-hot striker Washington Navaya hopes to write his own story in national colours.
The 27-year-old TelOne forward, who leads the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League scoring charts with 17 goals, is the only new face in the 24-man Warriors squad set to face Algeria in a high-profile friendly at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City on Thursday.
Navaya, who has been in blistering form this season, says he is eager to carry his club momentum onto the international stage under new Warriors coach Marian Marinica.
“I want to thank the coaches for the opportunity they have given me. This is something that I have been looking forward to for a very long time. So it has been fulfilled and I am very happy. My wish is to transform my league form to the national team,” said Navaya.
The striker is among the first to speak highly of Marinica’s approach, describing the Romanian tactician’s early sessions as refreshing and intense.
“I am happy the new coach is teaching us a lot of new things. In football you learn every day. We have been doing some good drills here and it looks nice. As a team we have to compete and show that we are a good team. Algeria are a good side and these are the kind of teams that we will be facing at the Afcon. My job is to score goals, so I will keep pushing,” he said.
Marinica, affectionately known as Super Mario, has already begun to win over sections of the squad with his calm authority and tactical clarity. The 59-year-old is no stranger to the big stage — he guided Malawi to the Round of 16 at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, a first in the country’s history.
Now, he has been handed the task of taking Zimbabwe beyond the group stages for the first time when the Warriors make their sixth Afcon appearance in Morocco next month. The team has been drawn alongside Angola, Egypt, and South Africa — a group that promises both challenge and opportunity.
After the Algeria clash, Zimbabwe will remain in Jeddah for another international friendly against 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar on Monday. These matches will give Marinica an early opportunity to assess his squad and possibly hand Navaya his long-awaited debut.
Back home, the TelOne talisman still has unfinished business. With one league game remaining, he is just three goals shy of the elusive 20-goal mark last achieved by Norman Maroto, who netted 22 times for Gunners in 2010.
Navaya will need a hat-trick against Scottland in the season finale to join that rare company, but for now, his sights are firmly set on Jeddah, where he hopes to announce himself on the international stage under the watchful eye of Super Mario.
derick.khumalo