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Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE international Nyasha Mushekwi continued to defy age after he ended fourth in the Chinese Super League golden boot race with 18 goals for Zhejiang Greentown.

Mushekwi played 31 matches in the just-ended season in which Greentown finished third to secure a spot in the Asian Champions League qualifiers.

Brazilian Marcos Vinicius Amaral Alves was the league’s top goal scorer with 27 goals from 26 appearances for champions, Wuhan Three Towns.

Another Brazilian forward Crysan da Cruz Queiroz Barcelos, who plays for Shandong Taishan was second in the race after netting 25 goals from 31 games.

Yuning Zhang of Beijing Guoan was third in the hierarchy with 19 goals. Mushekwi was tied for fourth with Wuhan Three Lions winger Brazilian Davidson da Luz Pereira.

The 35-year-old Zimbabwean also had three assists to his name. The goals were crucial for Greentown’s Champions League ambitions as goal difference came into play after Greentown had finished tied on 65 points with fourth and fifth-placed Shanghai Port and Chengdu Rongchen.

Mushekwi has been enjoying his game in China and he made history recently when he became Zhejiang’s all-time leading scorer. The striker surpassed South Africa’s Dino Ndlovu, who had held the record for a year with 42 goals.

Mushekwi has now bagged 55 goals in 93 appearances for the club.