Quartet for Peter Ndlovu SA award

Fungai Muderere
WARRIORS quartet of Khama Billiat, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Talent Chawapiwa and Nyasha Munetsi have been nominated for the 2019 South Africa ZimAchievers Awards (ZAA) in the Peter Ndlovu SA-Based Footballer of the Year category.

They were nominated together with former senior national team eccentric goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini.

The awards ceremony, which is held annually to recognise Zimbabwean movers and shakers in Mzansi who have been flying the country’s flag high in different sectors, will be held in the form of a Dinner Gala on 6 April at the Hilton Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Billiat, a former Mamelodi Sundowns livewire, started out the 2018/ 2018 season in fine form under former coach Giovanni Solinas, who often paired him with Siphelele Ntshangase as the two enjoyed a fruitful relationship in attack.

However, Billiat’s output has dropped markedly since the appointment of Ernst Middendorp late last year, while Ntshangase has found his first-team chances limited somewhat under the German mentor.

Billiat has made 25 appearances in all competitions this season, netting six times and providing eight assists.

He still has a lot of followers, including some who displayed a Zimbabwean flag at the FNB Stadium last Saturday and a banner that read, “KING KHAMA.”

Chawapiwa, who recently signed for AmaZulu, joined Baroka FC last season and had been one of their star performers, attracting interest in the Absa Premiership.

The 26-year-old made 21 appearances in all competitions this season for Baroka and left them after playing a key role in the journey to lifting the Telkom Knockout trophy last month in Port Elizabeth.

Mahachi has resurfaced following a rather sombre start to his stay at Orlando Pirates since joining at the beginning of the season from Golden Arrows.

The New Year has since seen him revive the Mahachi of old, having scored two league goals and playing well in Pirates’ Champions League campaign.

Munetsi is being linked with a move to Major League Soccer in the United States.

He is also now a regular for the Warriors. Reports in South Africa and the United States suggest agents representing Munetsi could have sealed a deal for the utility player to move to the United States in August this year.