Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ALTHOUGH he is still to convince national selectors about his ability, despite topping the Premier Soccer League goal-scoring charts, TelOne striker Washington Navaya, is still determined to achieve one certain target.
He wants to break a 15-year-old record set by the late Norman Maroto.
Maroto, a prolific striker of his generation, scored 22 goals for the now defunct Gunners in 2010 and remains the last player to breach the 20-goal mark.
A former Dynamos and Buymore striker, Maroto died in June last year at the age of 40, but his name continues to dominate the Premiership’s scoring discourse as his record continues to stand the test of time.
However, Navaya is closing in on that record. The gangly TelOne gunman has so far banged in 16 goals and now needs to score at least six goals in the WI-FI Boys’ last four rounds of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season to match or surpass Maroto’s tally.
He has another chance to increase his tally when TelOne visit Mandava for a date with former champions FC Platinum on Saturday. On the same day, Tymon Machope’s Scottland will host MWOS at Rufaro.
Machope is trailing Navaya by three goals and is one ahead of MWOS’ Billy Veremu.
The 2025 Golden Boot race is heating up as the season nears the end.
“I will push hard until the last game of the season because I know the race is still on,” Navaya told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“Reaching 20 goals will be a great achievement for me and to win the Golden Boot will be just awesome,” added Navaya.
He is not distracted by his omission from the national team as he wants to remain focused on the Golden Boot target.
“Growing up I always wanted to be a top striker.
“And as a striker I always wished one day I would be the Premier Soccer League’s top scorer.
“I will push till the end of the season.”
While he is in the driving seat for the Golden Boot gong, Navaya knows it’s not yet done and dusted.
Both Machope and Veremu are breathing heavily on his neck.
And interestingly, Machope and Veremu will pit their scoring prowess against each other when rivals Scottland and MWOS clash at Rufaro on Saturday in a match that has a huge bearing on the destiny of the championship title.
While admitting reaching 20 goals is now more like a mission impossible, Machope remains determined.
“It now sounds more like a mission impossible but with God everything is possible.
“A lot can happen in the last four games, it will be interesting I tell you,’’ said Machope.
The former Simba Bhora striker had a slow start to the season but has picked up form in recent weeks.
Machope is eager to prove a point against rivals MWOS.
“Against MWOS, that’s a massive game . . . rakaipa game iroro, but we will try to make sure we do our best.
“The Golden Boot race is exciting, we come up against MWOS who have Billy Veremu also in the race so it’s going to be interesting,” added the 32-year-old striker.
