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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United assistant coach Fungai “Tostao” Kwashi believes South Africa-bound defender Ronald Pfumbidzai has illuminated the football scene the same way inspirational Dynamos captain Ocean Mushure has done this season.

Kwashi even believes Pfumbidzai deserves to be recognised when the Soccer Stars of the Year are selected at the end of the season.

Pfumbidzai will be making his local league swansong with Makepekepe tomorrow at Rufaro against Ngezi Platinum before he leaves for his new club Bloemfontein Celtics.

Last year, he was one of the 11 finalists when his teammate Hardlife Zvirekwi was crowned best player. Dynamos leftback Mushure has led with distinction for his club which has suddenly been revived, scoring important goals for the Glamour Boys.

‘’He is a big, big player for us, he is another goalscorer for us, he has been scoring goals for us and in the Champions League he scored three goals and has scored in the league as well.

“I have heard people talk about Player of the Year candidates so far, I think if you look at the way Pfumbidzai has been playing in terms of scoring goals from the back, he should be up there as well.

“I heard people talking about Ocean Mushure, but Pfumbidzai has been doing it as well not only in the local league, but in the Champions League, which is the highest level in African football, that’s why now these people from Celtics have bought him.

‘’He has been doing a great job and they would not have bought him if he was not playing good football.

“So, it is a sad loss for us, he would have been a contender for that Player of the Year award if he had played more games, hopefully if those games he played in the Champions League and league are combined he could be back on the calendar again,” said Kwashi.

The former CAPS United forward said the departure of Pfumbidzai is a blow for the champions.

“But he is big loss for us, he has been helping us. He is a great motivator. Don’t worry about what happened against FC Platinum, it was just passion that drives that, he wanted to win, but it’s water under the bridge and we are looking forward to his last game on Sunday.

“He has been a great servant for CAPS United. We will miss Ronald, he has been a great player for us and we wish him the very best and we hope that he goes even further than South Africa, goes back to Europe because that’s where he belongs.

‘’He is a hard worker, humble guy and a happy guy,” said Kwashi.

Turning to the league game against pacesetters Ngezi Platinum, Kwashi said it will be another tough encounter.

“The guys are looking forward to the next game on Sunday. The games are coming thick and fast for us. We are playing two games per week, it was a tough game against FC Platinum, a very good side with a very good coach and again on Sunday we meet another tough side with a very good coach — Tonderai Ndiraya.

“We expect a tough game again.

“There are no easy games now, everyone is playing for something. Others are playing for relegation, others for winning the title while others want to maintain their status in mid-table.

“There is a lot of football to play.”

Fixtures
Today: Yadah v Chapungu (Rufaro, 1pm, SS), Black Rhinos v Chicken Inn (Rufaro, 3pm, SS), Bulawayo City v Harare City (Barbourfields).

Tomorrow: CAPS United v Ngezi Platinum (Rufaro, 3pm, SS), Hwange v Bantu Rovers (Colliery), Triangle v FC Platinum (Gibbo), Shabanie Mine v ZPC Kariba (Maglas).

“It is always good to win football games, it brings confidence and lifts morale in players and everybody, our fans and our sponsors, will be happy.

‘’We look forward to the coming fixture but we are not getting carried away with that result and it is going to be a big battle again against Ngezi, they are on top of log, they are the pacesetters, we expect a big battle,” he said.

Dynamos fans, whose team isn’t in action this weekend, are expected to root, for once, for the Green Machine in an unholy alliance against Ngezi Platinum.

Some Glamour Boys fans ceebrated the Green Machine’s win over FC Platinum on Wednesday.

Fixtures
Today: Yadah v Chapungu (Rufaro, 1pm, SS), Black Rhinos v Chicken Inn (Rufaro, 3pm, SS), Bulawayo City v Harare City (Barbourfields).

Tomorrow: CAPS United v Ngezi Platinum (Rufaro, 3pm, SS), Hwange v Bantu Rovers (Colliery), Triangle v FC Platinum (Gibbo), Shabanie Mine v ZPC Kariba (Maglas).