Warriors defenders hold key

When the senior national soccer team plunge into battle against Lesotho and South Africa tomorrow and Tuesday respectively, it will be banking on Mamelodi Sundowns’ Devine Lunga, Saudi Arabia based Gerald Takwara and Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard who have played regular football.

The gritty Takwara, who plays as a central defender for Ohod FC in the Saudi First Division league, has had an impressive season.He featured in 21 league games and one King’s Cup match.

Notably, Takwara, a former Tsholotsho FC and FC Platinum player, was one of the standout players during Zimbabwe’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, earning praise for his performance in the Warriors 2-1 victory over Guinea.

His journey from South Africa’s National First Division (NFD) struggles to excelling in Saudi Arabia is commendable, and he has certainly made an impact on the pitch.

In the Warrios game against Lesotho, Takwara is likely to partner resurgent Warriors leftback Lunga, a Mpopoma bred player who has been a valuable asset to Sundowns, contributing both defensively and offensively.

His return from a loan transfer at Golden Arrows has certainly made an impact. Recently, he scooped his second DStv Premiership title with Mamelodi Sundowns after their 5-1 drubbing of Soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs.

Lunga, who has been impressive for the Patrice Motsepe owned side of late, started the season on the sidelines.This was due to his paperwork as the club wanted to register him as a local player not a foreigner.

By that time, the former Chicken Inn and Ajax Hotspurs defender was reportedly awaiting the outcome of his permanent residence permit application.

Lunga (28) started when Mamelodi Sundowns got kicked out in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League after losing to Tunisian giants Esperance in both home and away legs.

The Zimbabwe international recently became eligible to play as a South African.Lunga moved to the Super Diski League in 2018 from Chicken Inn, following an agreement to join Golden Arrows. The period he has spent in South Africa met the requirement to apply for permanent residency and allowed Sundowns to register him on their books as a local.

Lunga, who has the ability to venture upfront, will become the first Zimbabwean player at the first edition of the expanded Fifa Club World Cup set for next year.

The interim Warriors technical department which has Jairos Tapera as head coach, Takesure Chiragwi and Saul Chaminuka as the first and second assistant coaches respectively, also managed to pick in form Gamecocks goalkeeper Donovan Bernard who looks guaranteed of a starting place ahead of Dynamos’ Martin Mapisa and unheralded Godfrey Chitsumba of Manica Diamonds.

In the 14 local Premiership games that have been played so far, Donovan has only missed one game which they drew two all against FC Platinum. At his club, Bernard has conceded seven goals and the two other strikes were let in by his deputy Pride Zendera.

Mapisa has conceded 11, Chitsumba, who is new in the Warriors set up, has picked nine goals from the back of the net. Meanwhile, the Warriors got a timely boost on Tuesday evening after towering centre back Teenage Hadebe joined camp in South Africa.

The left footed defender had travelled to United States of America (USA) to seal a new deal.He recently parted ways with Turkish Super Lig outfit Tumosan Konyaspor after spending four months at the club.

Hadebe joined Konyaspor as a free agent in February, signing a short term contract that expired at the end of last month.

The move came after his stint with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Houston Dynamo in the United States (USA) ended in December 2023. Hadebe (28) arrived at Konyaspor at a time when they were in the relegation zone.

He was signed to bolster their defence and went on to play a crucial role in helping them survive relegation on the final day of the season about a fortnight ago.

England based Brendon Galloway, who failed to join the Warriors due to an injury, was not replaced. Despite Galloway being a part of coach Tapera’s plans, his recurring sprain ruled him out and the coach decided not to replace the esteemed player.

Galloway turns out for Plymouth Argyle in England. He initially joined Argyle on short-term deal in the summer of 2021.

Galloway immediately impressed with a series of classy performances on the left of the Pilgrims’ back three but suffered an injury in October 2021 that ruled him out the rest of that season.

He played 24 times as Argyle were promoted as Sky Bet League One champions in the 2022/23 season, which triggered an extension of his contract.

Before arriving in Devon, Brendan spent the greater part of his career playing in the top two leagues in English football, joining Everton as a teenager from Milton Keynes Dons.

During his time at Goodison Park he caught the eye of English national selectors and played age group football for England from Under-17 to Under-21, but would later make his international debut for Zimbabwe, the country of his birth after joining Argyle.

He had had two loan spells while still at Everton, playing for West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League and Sunderland in Sky Bet Championship before signing on a permanent basis at Luton Town, where he spent one season at Luton before joining Argyle. —@FungaiMuderere