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George Chigova

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
WASHINGTON Arubi says he is excited by the goalkeeping abilities of youthful Zimbabwe national team shot-stopper George Chigova who has enjoyed a brilliant run at the Africa Nations Championship in South Africa.Chigova, who was understudy to Arubi at Dynamos some three seasons ago, has featured in all matches at the tournament and kept a proud clean sheet in the opening three games of the group phase.

Statistics place the towering Dynamos player among the best goalkeepers at the tournament after conceding one goal in four matches for the Warriors  —  thanks to the team’s well-oiled defence.

For close to 360 minutes, Chigova had not picked the ball from the back of his own nets as Zimbabwe remained the only team not to concede a goal up to the quarter-final stage in this competition reserved exclusively for home-based players.

Zimbabwe’s run has thrilled the country’s first-choice goalkeeper Arubi, who feels the entire backline that is marshalled by skipper Partson Jaure, has forged a good understanding with their ‘keeper.

Arubi is now playing for Pretoria University in the South Africa Premiership.
“I think George has done well. He has been commanding his defence well, a quality that is expected in a good goalkeeper, and the boys are doing great work at the back,” said Arubi.

“George is talented and I think he had an advantage to play for a big team at a young age. He still has a long way to go in his career because goalkeepers can play even up to 40 years.

“He has age on his side. He just needs to keep focused and continue working hard, the future is bright.” The Warriors stormed into the semi-finals of the tournament at the weekend when they upstaged Mali with a hard fought 2-1 win to set up a date with Libya in Bloemfontein tomorrow.

Zimbabwe conceded when Mali’s Hamidou Sinayoko headed home from close range after the defenders had failed to deal with a corner kick from the right flank. However, goals from How Mine’s Simba Sithole and Kuda Mahachi either side of the half had already given the Warriors the cushion they needed.

Chigova, who has made a number of good saves during the tournament, was also called into service on Saturday when he denied Mali, the best save coming with an outstretched foot, after his defence was breached in the second half.

But with just one game standing between them and the final, Arubi who featured in the last edition of the competition in Sudan under Madinda Ndlovu, feels Zimbabwe have a good chance at the tournament.

The Warriors have qualified for every edition of the tournament since its inauguration in 2009 and were knocked out at the group stage twice.

“Personally, I am happy for Zimbabwe because this is their first CHAN semi-final but they should now keep their focus,” said Arubi.