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Tadious Manyepo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
HERENTALS Queens goalkeeper Lindiwe Magwede’s legendary status is now cast in stone after she picked her second Golden Glove crown during the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe annual awards last Friday.
Magwede has dominated the goalkeeping position in the Women Soccer League over the past decade, where she has conceded the least number of goals in the top-flight in the past five seasons.
She has faced some challenges, including misfortunes, and it was surprising to see her excluded from the FUZ WSL Best 11, where Highlanders Royals goalkeeper Nobukhosi Ngwenya, who conceded 58 goals in the last term, was a part of group.
It somewhat defied logic to see Ngwenya, who was breached so many times, making the calendar ahead of not only Magwede but also Black Rhinos Queens’ Precious Mudyiwa, who let in just nine goals during the entire 2024 season.
The awards are voted for by the players and the FUZ leadership; however, they could do little to alter the surprising decisions.
But nothing could deny Magwede her place in the stars when it came to the Golden Glove, which is not voted for but is based on statistics.
The 33-year-old was breached just five times in a year that Vagoni Vebasa retained the league title for the third straight season.
It was a bit of a tougher season for Herentals Queens in comparison to the 2022 and 2023 terms, where Black Rhinos, Chapungu, and Correctional Queens pushed the fight all the way to the last day of the race.
Magwede was between the posts at 2 Brigade when the Student Queens lost 1-0 against Black Rhinos in their only defeat of the season and their second in three years.
The Masvingo-born star would concede four more goals with the remainder of the nine goals shipped in by the Simba Dedza girls let in by Magwede’s deputies, including Doreen Zvayi. Magwede kept guard in 25 of the 30 games, the same number of games she played in 2023 when she let in just two goals as Herentals went all the way without losing a game. The lanky ‘keeper also conceded only two goals in 2022, those goals coming from their only defeat that season, a 2-1 loss to Harare City at Dzivarasekwa Stadium. Magwede has also been a key figure in the senior women’s national team in the last decade, including featuring at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.
She said winning the award would spur her to want to achieve more.
“I love the game, and I am always trying to improve,” Magwede said.
“What I have noticed is that one needs to know their weaknesses, and that way they will then get to do the right thing to improve.
“I also do extras and train with the boys’ team.
“I train every day and get to see what I would have learnt from each session. That has seen me improving, from the way I see it,” said Magwede.
“Look, I am very happy when I get rewarded for doing what I enjoy doing the most. I love football, and my life revolves around football.
“And to then get awards for doing what I should be doing means a lot to me.
“I hope to keep on grinding. I still feel the tank has the fuel, and I want to continue burning it.”
After being overlooked for selection in the Mighty Warriors squad for the COSAFA tournament in South Africa last year, Magwede is back in the national team.
She will be part of the upcoming WAFCON qualifying assignments.
Online Reporter