Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A lot is at stake for Simba Bhora in the CAF Champions League.
After their 1-0 win over Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs in Francistown, Botswana, in the CAF Champions League preliminary round, first-leg tie, they must finish the business in the second leg and continue to push for group stages.
The later stages of this competition is lucrative and it will help the club financially. But above all, a strong performance in this competition by the players could just help put a strong case for national team selectors while giving them a chance to make moves to bigger leagues.
Debate has been raging on about why the log leaders have few players being given a chance in the Warriors set-up.
Players putting up their hands from Joel Luphahla’s charges are many.
One such player is Boid Mutukure. Just two months ago, the Simba Bhora defender was thinking of saving ZPC Kariba from relegation.
But he is now in a completely opposite situation where he is not only dreaming of winning the Premier Soccer League title but also conquering Africa.
The deadline day Simba Bhora signing was one of the stand-out performers when the Shamva team made their bow in Africa on Sunday night.
Ishmael Nyanhi’s goal ensured Luphahla’s charges take the slender advantage to Mbabane in the second leg of the preliminary round tie next weekend. There were several players making their debuts at this level of the game including the goal-scorer himself but for Mutukure, it was special.
At 31, the lanky Karoi-bred defender had already given up on international football, having been ignored by successive national team coaches despite being one of the best defenders on the land barring the status of the club he served for over a decade — ZPC Kariba.
He said: “Playing at an international level was never something I thought about. Not even one day.
“I was satisfied with where I was, playing regularly and doing my business in Kariba. Yes, early last year, I received a call from Dynamos who indicated that they were interested in my services as they prepared for the CAF Confederation Cup.
“The move fell through and I thought that was it. But Simba Bhora have helped me realise that, just two months ago, I thought was fantasy.
“I am really grateful to coach Luphahla for taking me on board and here I am. I couldn’t believe it was really me walking down the tunnel and about to debut in the CAF Champions League.”
Mutukure stood tall, partnering yet another underrated but incredibly solid Webster Tafa and Isheanesu Mauchi at the back of Luphahla’s 3-5-2 formation.
Six times he sprung to head away danger and his long legs were also key in winning at least four ground duels to add to several interceptions.
After a successful bow, Mutukure is now looking ahead to the second leg in Eswatini with optimism.
“The first leg was a complete joy. We were supposed to score more but we are still learning. The learning phase took us about 74 minutes or so to complete but I am happy we still managed to pinch a goal out of it,” he said.
“Now the whole focus is on the second leg that we need to manage in order for us to progress to the next round.
“We are never going ahead of ourselves. We have 90 full minutes to concentrate in Eswatini.
“Nsingizini Hotspurs showed that they are never a team to be easily pushed aside and we have taken notice. We need to go there and be solid and try to be ruthless in front of goal as well.”
Mutukure said what he wants out of the CAF Champions League was to clear every hurdle, one after the other and see where that will take Simba Bhora. And if Simba can achieve just that, it changes a lot in terms of the national game.
Again it’s showing that outstanding players are in their 30s. Is Zimbabwe football finally going to collapse?