Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
NORTHERN Region Soccer League chairman Sweeney Mushonga has praised Premier Soccer League side Simba Bhora for arranging an annual pre-season match to honour their departed star midfielder Barnabas Mushunje.
Mushunje perished on June 7, 2022 in a traffic accident when he was playing for Simba Bhora in the NRSL.
His goals and assists would play a huge part in the club’s promotion into the elite league.
Mushunje was also posthumously named the Player of the Tournament in the Axis Top 8 Cup, which Simba Bhora finished as runners-up.
Now the 2024 PSL champions have decided to play a commemoratory game, on a yearly basis, in his memory with the proceeds going towards the upkeep of the young family he left behind.
The inaugural match pits newly promoted Premiership side Agama against Simba Bhora at Wadzanayi on February 21.
Mushonga was in the leadership structure, as the NRSL secretary-general when Mushunje met his fate while on his way back to Shamva after attending a funeral wake at his rural home in Bocha.
The NRSL boss praised the 2024 Premiership champions for their noble initiative.
“This is a wonderful initiative which Simba Bhora have put together. You know, there is no better way of remembering your football heroes than organising matches in their honour.
“Simba Bhora were in our NRSL when Mushunje died. As the league we felt the loss and the pain at the same time.
“It was so devastating to lose such a young life, and we organised psychological sessions in order to help the Simba Bhora players cope with the loss of their colleague.
“And now to see Simba Bhora deciding to honour him feels good.
“As the NRSL, we would like to salute Simba Bhora and we are ready to chip in where necessary in this good cause.
“We feel like Simba Bhora are honouring us as well. We will do all we can to also support them,’’ Mushonga said.
Simba Bhora are one of the teams who got promoted from the NRSL and won the PSL title in their first couple of years in the elite league.
Reigning Premier Soccer League champions Scottland, also won the top-flight title on their first attempt, last year having been crowned the NRSL kings in 2024.
MWOS, who also emerged from the NRSL’s 2024 race were another side to make an instant impact in the Premiership, finishing as runners-up behind Scottland, underlining the competitiveness of the region.
