Musona scoops Golden Boot

Sport
BY FANUEL VIRIRI ZIMBABWE international striker Knowledge Musona scooped the South Africa premiership Golden Boot award yesterday after notching a goal for Kaizer Chiefs against AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida.

The 21-year Amakhosi hotshot took his league tally to 15 when he converted a beautiful penalty kick in the 88th minute. The Norton-born sensation, who is set to lead the Warriors in the Nations Cup match against Mali on June 5, has scored a total of 20 goals in the SA premiership and Cup matches.

Musona’s party had almost been spoilt by AmaZulu’s striker Lehlohonolo Majoro, who scored in the seventh minute past Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune to take his goal tally to 14. However Musona was at his best yesterday assisting captain Jimmy Tau to equalise when he teed him in the box.

The end of the South Africa premiership was nerve wrecking yesterday as Zimbabwe Warriors striker, Nyasha Mushekwi almost grappled the Golden Boot from Musona after scoring a hatrick in Mamelodi Sundowns’ last league match against Bloemfontein Celtics. The former CAPS United sniper Mushekwi was sitting on 11 goals and took his goal tally to 14 tailing Musona with a single goal.

However, Musona will miss out on a massive payday at the Premier Soccer League year-end function.  Two seasons ago, the league introduced stringent rules when rewarding the top scorer. As it stands Musona will pocket R25 000 for the Golden Boot award. If he had netted more than 15 goals, the figure would have doubled. Scoring more than 20 goals, which has happened just three times in 14 PSL seasons, would have assured Musona of R75 000.

However, it was been a good season for Musona considering that the striker was out for the part of the season with a shoulder injury but came back with a bang. Musona who was largely unknown some three years ago before being shunted to Kaizer from Aces Academy in 2009, was also gunning for the best goal of the 2010/11 season.

He was used sparingly as a substitute in the 2009–10 season but still managed to score a handful of crucial goals. In July 2010 he was awarded the PSL Club Rookie of the Year award.

Musona becomes the fourth Zimbabwean to win the Golden Boot in the South African premiership. Gilbert Mushangazhike and Wilfred Mugeyi grabbed the award before.

Mushangazhike grabbed top scoring award in the 2000/01 season after scoring 19 goals for Manning Rangers. Mugeyi, who is now an assistant coach at Ajax Cape Town, also won the award in the 1996/97 season after scoring 22 goals for the then Umtata Bucks. Musona showed his composure as he fought for the Golden Boot until the end of the 2010/11 season yesterday.

Musona is linked with a move to Russia for the second time in seven months. However, he has previously denied that he is moving to that country.

“Time will tell when I leave Chiefs, but it has to be at the right time. I don’t want to go sit on the bench somewhere though, so I must prove myself in the PSL and then make a move at the right time. I’m aiming to be the best here (South Africa) and I don’t know anything about the move to Russia. I think I will do well in France, Spain and England some day. With my ability, I know I can make it in one of these leagues, but only when the time is right,” Musona said last November.

Meanwhile, Ajax Cape  Town failed to snatch the league title after Orlando Pirates beat Golden Arrows to take their points tally to 60 points on the last day of the league. The Urban Warriors, who fielded two Zimbabwean players Tafadzwa Rusike and Khama Billiart drew two-all with Maritzburg United. The team was sitting on 59 points and took their points to 60 points, but were beaten to the title on inferior goal difference.