Zimpapers Logo

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

BLACK Rhinos goalkeeper Stanley Chakwana is praying hard while religiously following his rehab instructions.

The 26-year-old finds himself in a delicate space after he fractured his left arm in a freak accident last year as he battles to recover and walk back to the game.

He has already been ruled out of the opening half of the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season which is scheduled to start early March.

Chakwana was in the company of the CAPS United duo of Ian Nyoni, who owns the Honda Fit vehicle they were aboard, and Joel “Josta” Ngodzo, when the mishap occurred along the Harare-Bulawayo Road near Sherwood turn-off between Kadoma and Kwekwe.

They were on their way to their respective homes in Gweru and Bulawayo while there were also two other passengers they had given a lift from Harare.

Nyoni suffered back injuries while Ngodzo didn’t suffer any serious injuries.

The trio is still traumatised by the horrific experience but it is Chakwana whose injuries could even cost him his career, who is pained the most.

He gave a graphic narration of the accident from where he doesn’t know how all of the occupants escaped with their lives.

“It was a tough experience being involved in an accident. The car burst its tyre and it suddenly swerved to the oncoming lane.

“Unfortunately, there was a bus which was moving in the opposite direction. We were all panicking while the driver (Ian Nyoni) battled to control the car.

“The bus then changed lanes while our car hit a tree, rolled about three times and then landed back on its wheels facing the opposite direction,” said Chakwana.

“I was already wreathing in pain with a broken arm. I couldn’t help myself. The car had five occupants, me, Nyoni and Ngodzo as well as two other passengers we had picked along the way.

“We also had all our belongings since we were now going for the off-season break. The first thing that crossed my mind was that I wouldn’t be able to play football again.

“I was admitted to Kwekwe General Hospital together with Nyoni. The doctors did a fantastic job to manage the pain and the injury which I should admit was nasty.”

Chakwana, who has had a distinguished two-year stay at Black Rhinos, winning the club’s Goalkeeper of the Year accolade in 2021, is hoping to have fully recovered by the time he will finish his rehabilitation after three months.

“I have been given three months for rehab and that means I will miss the opening half of the season. That is the part which is hurting me the most. I have never missed pre-season since I started playing football.

“I am in pain but I thank God for preserving our lives; we were in real danger. So after three months, I will be starting light training then I am sure, I will be ready for the second half of the season.”

It’s even harder for the army team who will now have to look for alternative goalkeepers following Chakwana’s predicament.

One of their goalies Simbarashe Nkosi died two weeks ago.

That means the Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa-coached team now remains with only Blessing Mwandimutsira and they will have to add at least two more shot-stoppers for at least the first half of the season.

Meanwhile, Chakwana’s fellow accident victim, Ngodzo, is training with the rest of the squad at his team, CAPS United, while Nyoni is still training at his own.

Nyoni said he is now fully fit and will be joining his fellow CAPS United teammates for group training in the coming days.

“It was so scary and horrific. We are here to praise the Lord. I don’t even know how we survived the accident. There was a bus on the oncoming lane where our vehicle veered onto after it burst a tyre.

“But somehow, while I vainly tried to keep the car under control, the bus avoided hitting us as it changed lanes,” said Nyoni.

“Then all hell broke loose . . . I didn’t believe we all came out of the car alive. I sustained back injuries but it’s getting better. I have been training alone and hopefully this week I will be able to join the rest of the squad at training.

“I am ready for the opening half of the season and I wish Chakwana a speedy recovery.”