By Anesu Chakanetsa

SCINTILLATING football moments are now as rare as hen’s teeth these days. Remember the 1970s when the legendary George Shaya and Kuda Muchemeyi did the passing penalty in 1979? It got the fans talking. Do you also recall when Friday Phiri scored that acrobatic goal or when Moses Chunga hit that beautiful volley which is still arguably the best goal ever; or when goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini scored a brace for Highlanders!

The last known entertainer was perhaps Joel ‘Josta’ Ngodzo, the former CAPS United midfi elder known for his exquisite twists, turns and immaculate passes, or could it be Rahman Kutsanzira, the former Highlanders midfi eld maestro? Or maybe the last known entertainer is still around, but it’s the skills that have since deserted him Scottland FC’s Denver Mukamba became Dynamos’ fan favourite as far back as his ‘infant’ days at the Glamour Boys. Mukamba helped Dynamos scoop the league title and Mbada Diamonds Cup in 2011. Remember the ZIFA Cup f i nal when Mukamba, coming on as a substitute at a waterlogged National Sports Stadium, drove the wet ball and powered it towards Motor Action’s legendary Marlon Jani’s goal, who spilled it onto the safe legs of the ‘Prince’, Rodrick Mutuma, who netted the winning goal for Dynamos.

Nyika yakazora butter. The following year would be a majestic one for Mukamba, who fi rst mesmerised fans with his sublime skills when Algeria’s AC Algiers locked horns with the Zimbabwe giants in a CAF Champions League preliminary round. Mukamba and the legendary commentator Charles Mabika made a formidable pair on the day — on the fi eld and in the commentary box respectively — with Mukamba scoring an emphatic goal, teasing an Algiers defender, dribbling another, shooting into the far corner and Mabika telling the world that even the then best goalkeeper in the world, Real Madrid legend Iker Cassilas, would not have stopped the screaming shot. That year, Mukamba became the talk of town, being a scoring midfi elder, a great passer of the ball and unleashing great dribbling and showboating skills. No wonder, he was the automatic choice for Soccer Star of the Year. He did everything: scoring directly from corner kicks; sending goalkeepers the wrong way with daring free kicks; performing acrobatics in addition to captaining the Warriors. Since Ngodzo and Mukamba, there has been very little in the way of entertainers — progressive entertainers — with the ability to put a bit of oomph into the hearts of soccer lovers. Have we become rigid like the English? Even emerging youngsters in England, like Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, are playing more entertaining football nutmegging, ricocheting, and or dinking the ball over the goalkeeper. Such is the entertainment fans pay to watch, but sadly missing in Zimbabwean football.

This season’s top goalscorer, Lynoth Chikuhwa, scored a mere 17, again failing to reach the 20-goal mark which was last recorded a decade ago. But such goalscoring exploits were not confi ned to club level. Even at national team level, fans fi lled the National Sports Stadium to and watch Peter Ndlovu brother Madinda ‘cutting through opponents’ defences like a hot knife cutting through butter’, as commentator Admire Taderera famously put it. Sadly, those good ol’ days a re now history. For example, Moses Chunga scored 46 league goals, a record that today’s strikers can never hope to match. ‘Bambo’ was a joy to watch as he showed off his skills while entertaining the fans; scoring from corner kicks, standing on top of the ball while taunting defenders to dispossess him. While in Belgium recently, Chunga reiterated that the greatest thing he would be remembered for were his soccer skills.

Other local great dribbling wizards and entertainers include Marvel Samaneka, Christopher Semakweri, Johannes Ngodzo and Ronald Sibanda, among others. Vitalis ‘Digital’ Takawira, Shingie Kawondera, Ovidy ‘Masvingo Mosquito’ Karuru were also notable dribbling wizards for the Warriors during their time. Khama Billiat is still around for the Warriors, while a section of fans are clamouring for the return of Knowledge Musona because, over the years (since 2017) Zimbabwe has been consistently qualifying for the AFCON while also providing goals and entertainment the fans are so keen to watch. The return of Billiat to the Warriors’ line-up has also lured thousands of fans back to the terraces. The biggest worry, though, is, in the domestic league where matches have become boring . . . where players, especially goalkeepers, spend several minutes on the ground feigning injury . . . where even strikers are not scoring for fun.

If modern Zimbabwean coaches are not moved by dribbling wizards and entertaining players, arguing that it’s a win — no matter how slender — that matter,s then why is it that Zimbabwean teams are fi nding it tough going on the African safari? Or maybe, it’s not the coaches who are entirely to blame, but the junior structures that are ‘indoctrinating’ youngsters to become defence-minded. These days fans celebrate when a player makes a complete diagonal pass, like what Godknows Murwira does at CAPS United. Maybe the young McKinnon Mushore of Highlanders has something for the fans. The slippery youngster had few minutes for the Warriors during the COSAFA tournament played in June. He had his moments of brilliance — scoring, dribbling and entertaining fans. Tinotenda Meke of Ngezi Platimun has also had fans sitting on edges of their seats with his mazy wing runs. But such occasions have been few and far between. Perhaps the newly promoted teams, like Scottland FC and ZPC Hwange, have among their squads that calibre of players that will attract fans to fi ll the stadiums.