YOUNG Warriors midfielder Marvelous Nakamba will be playing Europa League football next season after his Dutch side Vitesse’s compressive 5-2 win over Heerenveen in the competition’s second leg playoff on Sunday.
The two sides drew 2-2 in the first leg on Thursday and Nakamba’s side completed the job at home for an emphatic 7-4 aggregate win.
After sitting out of the Thursday match, the 21-year-old had a cameo role on Sunday when he was introduced on 87 minutes.
Signed from French side Nancy at the start of the year, Nakamba has been integrating into the new team slowly, making eight substitution appearances for a combined 94 minutes of play.
Judging by the progress he made since joining the squad when he was barely on the final 18, Nakamba is expected to be more involved in the team next season.
He is one of the many Zimbabwean young talents dotted across the world tipped to lead the Young Warriors charge in the ongoing Olympic qualifiers and also form part of the future Warriors squad.
The highly-rated midfielder was called for camp by Young Warriors coach Kalisto Pasuwa for the recently played tie between Zimbabwe and Swaziland, but could not be released by his club due to the play-offs.
Nakamba would be joined in the Europa Cup competition by his fellow Zimbabwean Costa Nhamoinesu, whose Sparta Praha side finished second in the Czech Republic league and with it an automatic ticket in Europe’s second-tier club competition.
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Praha were held to a 1-1 draw by Bohemians 1905 in their last league match on Saturday, but they had already confirmed their place among the best clubs.
Nhamoinesu did not take part in the match after receiving a straight red card in the team’s previous match last week.
In Denmark, the top-flight league’s curtains come down next Saturday with both Silas Songani and Quincy Antipas’ sides SønderjyskE and Hobro respectively, safe from relegation.
SønderjyskE lost 2-1 at home to second-placed København, to remain third from the bottom, one place above the relegation cut-off point.
Songani played 80 minutes of the match, and his side will wrap up their season with an away match to champions Midtjylland.
Antipas’ Hobro on the other hand were held to a 2-2 draw by OB, but still kept their seventh position on the log. The Warriors winger did not feature, his last appearance going back to May 1.
Sweden-based Nyasha Mushekwi is expected to hold talks with South African parent club Mamelodi Sundowns over the forward’s future, according to his agent Ralph Nkomo.
The Warriors man was deemed surplus to requirements by Sundowns at the beginning of last season who loaned him out to Swedish club, Djurgarden.
Mushekwi has taken Swedish football by storm, having netted nine goals in 10 appearances since joining the club in March.
He was expected to add to his goal tally last night as his side was playing away at IFK Göteborg.
“Well, what I can say is that I’ll meet Sundowns again regarding Nyasha next month when his contract with them expires
That’s all I can say at the moment,” Nkomo told South African media.
Djurgarden are reportedly and understandably interested in offering the 27-year-old Mushekwi a permanent deal.
However, the Brazilians have an option to extend the striker’s contract, and it remains to be seen if the two parties will agree terms.
Nearer home in South Africa, the future of the Kaizer Chiefs duo of Mathew Rusike and Ovidy Karuru will be known today.
The club is expected to hold a Press conference where they would announce the players who will be leaving the club.
Rusike’s contract has expired while Karuru has seen very little game time with reports suggesting that he would be loaned out next season.
