The Sunday Mail
Makomborero Mutimukulu – Acting Sports Editor
ANOTHER Munyaradzi Diya was born in Harare last week.
He comes into the physical realm at a time when the older Munyaradzi Diya is having a devilish season at faltering Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side Highlanders.
After a 2013 season during which he was by far the best goalkeeper in the land, the tot’s father has had a 2014 to forget — well, at least on the football front.
A couple of early season howlers saw Diya falling from being the undisputed number one goalie at Highlanders to the second most preferred after Ariel Sibanda and then the third choice after Sibanda and the yet to convince Njabulo Nyoni.
Accusations of Diya being mistreated because of his tribe, which is not Zezuru by the way, were raised, but not substantiated as game after game passed with Sibanda and Nyoni taking turns to let Highlanders down while he sat on the bench or failed to make the team completely.
The first howler came in the home tie to Hwange when the goalkeeper was beaten at the near post, a cardinal sin in the world of guarding goal.
The match ended 1-1.
The second, one whose effects were made worse by the fact that it came on a day when Dynamos were falling 0-1 to Chapungu, came five days later and towards the dying stages of a Bosso versus Chicken Inn duel.
In a typical case of a rush blood to the head moment, Diya dashed out to clear the ball when his defenders appeared to have it all under control.
When he got to the ball he made a mess of what ought to have been a routine clearance.
He controlled the ball with his right leg, but the intimacy between his left leg and the Emagumeni turf went awry, leading to a nasty, costly slip which allowed George Majika a chance to bury a last-minute equaliser.
He did.
The match ended 1-all.
Diya was all tears after the match and Bosso fans bayed for his head amid a barrage of nasty verbal attacks.
The headlines in Bulawayo screamed: “Diya costs Bosso four points.”
The then Bosso coach, Kelvin Kaindu, tried to shield his goalkeeper in the post-match interview.
“We win as a team and lose as a team. Everybody tried their best. It’s unfortunate that we gave away maximum points like that as I feel we should have scored another goal to be safe. I think we lost concentration, especially when the crowd were not cheering; the guys lost it . . . ” the Zambian was quoted as saying.
However, with crowd favourite Sibanda on the bench, Diya had overplayed his luck and lost.
He paid the price.
The downfall started.
It continued.
However, the past two games have seen Diya bouncing back to guard the Bosso goal with his first match being the 0-1 defeat to Chicken Inn in a Bulawayo derby, made famous by Charles Sibanda’s bonkers moment, followed by the midweek 2-3 defeat away to Hwange.
Always sentimental, spiritual even, the 29-year-old goalkeeper reckons Munyaradzi Diya junior brought with him some good fortune.
“I guess the small boy brought some luck with him. I hope it continues because this has been a difficult season,” he said of a boy he is dying to hold in his arms for the first time.
Diya’s brother and Dynamos goalkeepers’ coach Tichaona has held the baby already and the banter between them has seen the elder brother threatening to take over Munya’s wife as well.
“Miriwadi (Ticha) is mad, don’t mind him,” said Munya, whose contract with Bosso lapses at the end of the season.
After a difficult season, the goalkeeper has been linked with a move away from Highlanders.
However, Diya claims he hasn’t come around to thinking of his next step as he concentrates on making sure that “this big team ends the season on a high.”
“Yes, my contract is lapsing, but that does not mean I will be on the move. We will see how it all goes in the off-season. At the moment, my focus is on making sure that I do well for the team in whatever role.
“We have three good goalkeepers at Highlanders and anyone who is chosen to play is capable of doing business.
“Yes, there is rivalry, but it’s positive because we always support each other; such unity can only benefit the club,” he said.
