The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
“The future rewards those who press on; I don’t have time to complain, I’m going to press on,” once said former American president Barack Obama.
These words seem to be the driving force behind star forward Tichaona Mabvura’s resurgence at Ngezi Platinum.
“I believe it has been all about the game time and the hard work that I have put in this season.
“That is what drives me and what has put me at this level.
“The important thing now is to keep striving on,” said the 25-year-old.
Mabvura was snubbed by Dynamos at the start of the 2016 season.
He was told by then coach Paulo Jorge Silva there was no place for him at the Harare side.
“I trained with Dynamos at the start of last season, only to be told by Silva that there was no place for me in the team.
“It was a painful experience.
“By then I was confident that my time to command a first team jersey for the team had come, but such is life. I moved on and that is how I ended up at Ngezi Platinum,” said Mabvura.
Despite the setback, the Madamburo forward picked up the pieces and moved to Mhondoro.
He had a below par debut season at Ngezi Platinum last year scoring just one goal – an opener in a 2-0 win over Tsholotsho during the first half of the season.
“Last season was average, that’s why at the beginning of this season I said to myself I should double my efforts to achieve my goals.” he said.
With the misery inflicted on him by the now departed Silva at Dynamos and a sub-par start to his time at Ngezi Platinum firmly behind him, Mabvura has set his league goal harvest at 15 goals.
He also plans on making an impression in the Chibuku Super Cup tournament – a competition he missed due to injury last term -by lifting the Golden Boot award.
That mission begins today when Ngezi host Caps United in a high-profile Chibuku Cup first round match at the Baobab.
“My target this season is to have double digits and I have set 15 as my minimum target for the league.
“As for the Chibuku Super Cup, I would also want to perform well and also score more goals for my team.
“I am confident that we will defend the Chibuku title this year,” he said.
The in-form Mabvura is set to compete for the Chibuku Golden Boot with Caps United red hot striker Dominic Chungwa, who is currently second on the PSL top scorers’ list with 10 goals.
And Mabvura, who has banged in seven league goals for Ngezi, is aware of the threat posed by the in-form Caps United gunslinger.
“He is a good player and I think he has been in top form of late.
“Scoring against Dynamos gave him confidence and we are aware of the harm he may cause but we have to do everything in our power to keep him out of the game,” said Mabvura.
Ngezi Platinum Stars possess one of the most dangerous strike forces in the league with 44 goals in 25 games.
Of the 44 goals scored by the title aspirants, Mabvura accounts for seven of them and is currently the team’s second highest goalscorer.
Terence Dzukamanja is Ngezi’s top scorer with nine goals.
“Coach Tonde (Ndiraya) has demanded that strikers put in more work. These days our strikers stay behind for an hour or so after the normal training session to work on conversion,” revealed Mabvura.
