The Sunday Mail
WARRIORS and Mamelodi Sundowns striker Cuthbert Malajila has recovered fully from a knee injury that kept him out of action for over eight weeks and is relishing his club’s CAF Champions League fixture against Zimbabwean champions Chicken Inn.
The Gamecocks will host The Brazilians, who also have Warriors winger Khama Billiat in their books, at Barbourfields in a preliminary round first leg fixture set for the weekend of February 12-14.
Mamelodi Sundowns will then host the return leg at the Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria a fortnight later.
“It will be good for us to play a Zimbabwean team, it is quite an intriguing fixture given the debate that goes on about which one is a better league- the South African Absa Premiership or the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League,” said Malajila.
The Warriors striker was back in the country last week to monitor progress at his CUMA Football Academy, a junior football project he co-founded in Kadoma with another soccer enthusiast Hurbert Manyowa in 2012.
“It is not going to be an easy game though, and people are usually mistaken when they think the competitiveness of the two leagues can be compared by a fixture like this one.
“Whether we win or Chicken Inn comes out victorious, it does not necessarily reflect on which league is better. It is about the better team winning on the day,” said Malajila.
He added: “I am now fully fit and raring to go.
“I miss playing and 2016 is a big chance for me to fight back into the Sundowns starting line-up.”
Malajila initially picked up the knee injury during Mamelodi Sundowns’ 2-0 home win over Chippa United in the first round of the Telkom Knockout early October last year.
The Kadoma bred striker found time to assess progress at his CUMA Football Academy where he plans to use his links in the South African league to promote local talent.
“This is all about giving back to a community that raised me.
‘There is a lot of talent in Kadoma and my wish is that the boys we are grooming will surpass my achievements and possibly go straight to Europe.
“I have played for Maritzburg and now I am at Mamelodi Sundowns.
“I have established some vital links and it is our plan that the boys also benefit from these connections,” he said.
CUMA Football Academy has age groups ranging between Under 13 and Under 17 and plans are afoot to register the senior group with the Mashonaland West Division Two League this season.
