The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
Respected football statisticians Whoscored.com rank him as one of the most efficient central midfielders in The Netherlands top flight, the Eredivisie. And when he wins the ball, his pass success rate is as high as 83,2 percent. Zimbabwe international central midfielder Marvelous Nakamba has over the past 12 months blossomed into a key player for both his Dutch side Vitesse and the Africa Cup of Nations-bound Warriors.
The 22-year-old left-footed linkman played 272 minutes of Zimbabwe’s six Group L qualifiers since making his debut as a 67th minute substitute in the opening Afcon qualifier in Malawi on June 13, 2016.
He made his home debut in the 4-0 demolition of Swaziland at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on March 28 and rarely put a foot wrong.
On September 4 in Guinea, Nakamba played his first full 90 minutes in national team colours and was clearly the best Warrior on show under harsh and humid conditions at Conakry’s Stade Du 28 Septembre arena.
He was a beacon in the centre of the park, won almost all the duels he went into, and his left-foot incisive passes were a marvel watch.
Is he the Warriors’ new midfield kingpin?
“I can’t really say that. I am still too young to talk about that so I will just keep training hard and pray that I will get better,” Nakamba told The Sunday Mail Sport soon after the Warriors’ 0-1 defeat.
That defeat was the Warriors’ only blemish in a group they clinched on June 5 when they hammered Malawi 3-0 at the National Sports Stadium to complete a double over The Flames.
Despite growing into an automatic entry on Kallisto Pasuwa’s starting list, Nakamba appreciates nothing can be taken for granted.
“This is the national team, every player who is given a chance to play tries by all means to impress. I am glad coach Kalisto Pasuwa gave me the chance last year. It has been a very good experience for me as a young player and I am now looking forward to the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon next January,” said Nakamba.
Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and hosts Gabon will tussle it out at 31st Afcon finals next year.
Chances are high that Zimbabwe, the lowest-ranked team among the qualified nations, will draw at least two African giants as CAF will use the seeding system.
However, Nakamba believes that with thorough preparations, the Warriors can pull the strings in Gabon.
“We just need to have more time for preparations together as a team. I am sure we can improve and have better chances in Gabon. Football is all about competition and learning from your mistakes. We got the experience by going through the qualifiers.
“With the little I saw during our away matches, especially in Guinea, it’s not easy to play and win away from home. But we went all the way and qualified. We won a game away in Malawi, drew one in Swaziland so I think there is always room for improvement in football,” he said.
The Bantu Rovers product, who passed through France before settling in The Netherlands, is now back at his base, bracing for tonight’s crunch league encounter against Dutch giants Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena.
Nakamba has played 90 minutes in all the opening four league games for Vitesse, who are on seven points, five behind early pacesetters Feyenoord after four rounds of Eredivisie action.
His impressive shows have triggered talk of a possible move to one of Europe’s more lucrative leagues but the Hwange-born player said these were all just rumours at the moment.
“I only read or hear about those (links) but nothing is tangible at the moment. I am just focusing on Vitesse at the moment,” said Nakamba.
