admin
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THEY say the ability to wait for something without getting angry or upset is a valuable quality in a person.
Following frustrating cameo appearances in the women senior national team, striker Kudakwashe Basopo is happy that she was finally afforded an opportunity to prove her worth and shine for the country.
Hitherto, Basopo has received several call ups to play for the Mighty Warriors between 2008 and 2012, all but cameo roles where she would feature for only a few minutes as a substitute.
The Black Rhinos striker said the frustration was hard to bear but she steeled herself and waited for her time in the sun, which has eventually come. She said the emergence of Shadreck Mlauzi as Mighty Warriors coach in September last year signaled a turn for the better as the coach believed in her, giving her a bigger role to play.
And Basopo aptly rewarded Mlauzi’s trust in her when she scored two of the four goals that saw Zimbabwe dispatch northern neighbours, Zambia 4-2 to qualify for the African Women Cup of Nations.
The Black Rhinos striker played a big role by scoring the solitary goal in the first leg at home before finding the opener in Zambia.
“My belief in God saw me through that period when I wasn’t given a chance to play for the nation but I knew God would one day shine on me and I am glad I have done well with the chances that I have been handed. God has been kind to me and I give him all the glory for my good performances. I never stopped believing I can make it big and now we are backing in the glory of our success as the Mighty Warriors,” said Basopo.
She said qualifying for the Rio Olympics and African Women Cup of Nations scheduled for August and November respectively was a fine achievement that made people look up and even those who used to ignore her now take time to greet her as she has become a local hero in Highfields where she resides.
She is optimistic of performing well in Brazil despite the fact they would face tough opposition.
The Mighty Warriors have been grouped alongside Germany, Australia and Canada, all in the top 10 of the world rankings.
“With motivation from the nation, I don’t think we will be easy prey for these other teams. We are going there as underdogs and the other teams will underestimate us and I think this will give us an opportunity to surprise them. We will be gunning for world number two Germany, whom we face in the first game and I believe we can surprise them,” he said.
Born on 18 July, 1990, the diminutive forward grew up in Mhondoro-Ngezi in the village of Mamina where she did her schooling at Zinindo Primary and Ngezi High but had no dreams of making a living through football as she had been a volleyball player at school.
Although she partook in money-games as a teenager playing against boys in the streets of the dormitory town of Chitungwiza, Basopo only took the game seriously after a relative John Biza who was a soldier then, coerced her into joining Black Rhinos in 2007. She has never looked back on her football career.
“I faced severe challenges initially and if I had no resolve, I would have deserted the sport. I moved to Mufakose Queens in 2009 as I sought a better deal but moved back to Rhinos the following year where I have set base. I got employed by the Zimbabwe National Army, owners of Rhinos, in 2010 and this gave me steady income ensuring that I would focus on playing the game without seeking money elsewhere,” she said.
The 25-year-old, the last born in a family of four, two girls and two boys, said she has always had the support of her family, including her father John who did not stand in her way once she embraced soccer.
The self-confessed Highlanders fan revealed she is best friends with Dynamos striker, Roderick Mutuma and in her spare time she would mostly be at home listening to music and hanging out with friends.
CR7, as Basopo has been christened by fans after Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, says her secret to success was discipline, maturity and listening to the coach’s instructions.
Basopo is single but said she would be tying the knot soon although she declined to reveal the identity of the lucky man.
Online Reporter