Ngoni Murisa laid to rest

Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
FOOTBALLER Ngonidzashe Murisa was laid to rest at his rural home in Mushaninga Village in Dema yesterday.

The Blue Jets midfielder died in his sleep early Sunday morning at his home at Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo Air Force Base, leaving behind his wife Patience and two children — Admire (7) and Alicia (3) .

Several football personalities spoke glowingly of the 33-year-old, with ZIFA president Felton Kamambo, through his regional chairman Willard Manyengavana, donating $1 500 to the family.

“It’s a very big loss and we have been deprived of someone who was influential and had been in the sport for a while,’’ said Kamambo.

“It is a loss to the nation as a whole, with football and his family, all going to miss his talent. We are saddened and the void he has left is going to be difficult to fill. We are with his family during these trying times.’’

Murisa’s parent club Blue Swallows chairman Wilson Ngwenya also talked about the deal that had taken him on loan to Blue Jets.

“As his parent club, we were monitoring his progress and we were happy that he was getting game time at Blue Jets, something which made us happy,’’ said Ngwenya.

“We were looking forward to seeing him returning soon as he had regained his top form, but unfortunately we lost him.’’

The same was also echoed by Dumisani Mupfudze, who was Murisa’s coach at the time of his untimely death.

“He had grown to be one of our senior players whom we relied upon and the gap will be difficult to fill.

“It came as a surprise as he had played the full 90 minutes the day before and it is still hard to believe that he is no longer part of us,’’ said Mupfudze.