Andrew
Sports Reporter
HIS perseverance knows no limits and it seems nothing can stop Hardlife Zvirekwi from breaking more records in his otherwise extraordinary football career.
The 34-year-old is a Premier Soccer League championship winner with Gunners and CAPS United.
He is a former Soccer Star of the Year winner, who also played for Zimbabwe at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon.
Tragedy also struck along the way.
He almost lost his life in an accident in March 2018 when his vehicle veered off the road and overturned in Harare.
That catastrophe left him without a left arm. But, he never gave up, as he made an extraordinary return to professional football following the amputation, captaining CAPS United in the second half of the 2018 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
Covid-19 then struck and, just like all other local players, Zvirekwi was not spared.
His contract with CAPS United was not renewed thereafter and he tried his luck at Harare City, but still a deal could not materialise.
One would think Zvirekwi, a veteran who has won so many accolades and even played at the AFCON finals, would give up, but the gifted player is clearly not a quitter.
He still has some unfinished business.
Zvirekwi, who has settled in well at Northern Region Soccer League log leaders Simba Bhora, wants to play Premiership football again.
He is still craving more individual accolades and more silverware, starting with the Axis Solutions Super 8 Cup, which is currently underway in the Northern Region Soccer League.
Simba Bhora are already in the semi-final of the competition following a resounding 4-0 win against Chegutu Pirates at Wadzanai Stadium in Shamva on Saturday.
Arthur Tutani’s side will now face Herentals Under-20 at Morris Depot in the semi-final.
Herentals U-20 beat Black Mambas after a penalty shootout.
It is a potential thriller, given that it is the same venue where Herentals U-20 stunned Simba Bhora 2-0 in what was the Shamva-based side’s first defeat of the season.
And Zvirekwi is aware of the threat Herentals could pose, but the vastly experienced player feels his team also has an equal chance of progressing to the final.
“The Super 8 Cup is a great competition …
“As Simba Bhora, we are now in the semi-final but we still have a long way to go. Everyone who qualifies for the semis has an equal chance of winning the cup,” he told The Sunday Mail Sport after his team’s training session on Thursday.
“We are not taking anything away from the other teams. It’s going to be a very exciting tournament and it will be an honour if we can manage to lift this cup.
“We will fight to the bitter end. We need to push and work very hard so that we can attain our goals.”
The 2016 Soccer Star of the Year has not had any difficulties settling at his new club, who also have former PSL players like top scorer Tinashe Balakasi, Barnabas Mushunje, Dexter Phiri, Honey Chimutimunzeve and Nicolas “Tico Tico” Alifandika.
“I have tried my best to settle in very quickly at Simba Bhora. As a player, you have to adjust to the current settings that you find yourself in,” said Zvirekwi, who won his first PSL championship medal with Gunners in 2009.
He went on to win his second with CAPS United in 2016, the same year he was crowned the country’s top footballer.
“It will be a great thing and an honour to come back and play Premier Soccer League football again. If we can get promotion into the top-flight, that will be fantastic.
“I have won the PSL championship with CAPS United and also with Gunners. I have been the Soccer Star of the Year before and I think with the experience I have from playing for so long in the top-flight I have to impart that to my teammates at Simba Bhora.
“I hope my experience will go a long way in inspiring the other players.”
Online Reporter