Ralph hails classic winner

Bruce Chikuni

YADAH Stars hero, Ralph Matema, says he will forever remember his golden goal was his finest strike in his personal battles against the Glamour Boys.

A goalless stalemate was looming at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday with just a few minutes before the end of the league match.

But the ageless gunslinger, who came in as a late substitute, had other plans and struck to condemn the Glamour Boys to defeat.

In what appears to be his last season in the top-flight, as he indicated earlier during the campaign, Matema continues to confound critics.

Interestingly, Matema scored his first goal against Dynamos 17 years ago.

Matema and Tapuwa Kapini are the only active players of the crop of footballers who won the league title with Highlanders in 2006.

“I was very happy with the goal, what excited me the most is that it was a classic goal,” said Matema.

“As a striker, you are expected to score, so when a chance comes, there should be no excuses, it has to be buried.

“I have scored quite a few goals against Dynamos, but this one just felt great considering the intensity of the game, we badly needed maximum points,”

The Miracle Boys were at the receiving end, in the reverse fixture, after losing controversially, with the same scoreline.

Matema was still at Triangle.

“I wasn’t with Yadah when they lost in the first round of the season, but I was briefed a bit about what took place.

“I felt the pain of my teammates, so I’m happy that I managed to get the chance for revenge and we won, so it was sweet revenge.

“Everyone played their role and our opponents motivated us more because of where they are in the standings.”

Matema made his Premiership debut in 2003, while playing for the defunct Kambuzuma United.

In his maiden campaign, he netted nine times and his strike at the weekend took his tally for this season to four goals.

He finished last season with 12 goals, just two behind the eventual Golden Boot winner, Clive Augusto.