IT’S an uncharacteristically hot afternoon at the National Sports Stadium’s B Arena. Tafadzwa Rusike picks out new teammate Ronald Chitiyo and immediately dashes forward into a more attacking position on the wing.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Chitiyo quickly returns the ball to Rusike, who releases an inch perfect low cross, which has the goalkeeper at sea, but forward Abbas Amidu skies his effort from inside the box.
The goalkeeper, Edmore Sibanda, arms akimbo, with a wide grin on his face and thoroughly enjoying the offensive drill, mocks his assailant for failing to score.
Affectionately referred to as “ZiKeeper” by the CAPS United faithful, Sibanda thought he would never play football again when he was banned from football for life at the culmination of the infamous “Asiagate” Scandal in 2012.
It was only in late 2015 after almost three years that Sibanda was cleared to play after which he joined Northern Region Division One side Gunners before Lloyd Chitembwe brought him back to CAPS United.
As if the gods were paying him back for the agony he endured during the years he was in football exile, he won the league with the Green Machine barely a year after his return.
“I am very happy and excited to be playing the sport that I love. Winning the league title on my first year back was just amazing. It was even more emotional for me when I played my first match against Tsholotsho,” the former Warriors goal minder said.
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Maybe winning the league title last season was surely the gods restoring the year that the “locusts had eaten” for it took a man of cloth for Sibanda to believe that he would play football again.
“It was a very difficult time for me and as time went by, I began to doubt that I would ever play football again. My parents took care of me so I just stayed at home in Mvuma because I had lost all hope. That period took everything away from me,” Sibanda reminisced
“It wasn’t until I met Prophet [Walter] Magaya [that I regained hope]. He is the one who helped me to keep believing. I was invited to church by someone and that’s where favour located me. He took me in and helped me to become the person I am today; he is a father to me,” he said.
As a senior player on the team, Zikeeper spent the better part of training helping the younger goalkeepers in the team. And when training was officially over, he took the opportunity to further sharpen his trademark freekick abilities.
He was probably buoyed by the freekick goal he scored for CAPS United last Sunday against Zambian champions Zanaco in a 2-1 preseason friendly win in Lusaka.
It is a skill he obviously wants to improve, judging by the way he would moan in frustration each time he hit the post or missed the target by a whisker with his booming shots.
“Since I started playing in the Premier Soccer League, I think 2009 is the only year I did not score, excluding last season. At Chapungu I scored lots of goals since I joined them in 2005 and I even scored one from my own [18 yard] box.
“I think I have close to 20 goals. When I came to CAPS United, coach Moses Chunga told me that if I could score from my 18 yard box, then I could take a free kick and from there I became a free kick specialist,” the 30-year-old goalkeeper said.
In June 2008 — the same month CAPS United first captured his signature — Sibanda scored a rugby-style drop ball goal from his 18 yard box, to help Chapungu beat Lengthens 1-0 at Ascot Stadium.
Another claim to fame for Sibanda was when he was voted Goal.com African Star of the Week after he scored a freekick from 30 yards to give CAPS United a crucial win against Shabanie Mine in October 2010.
While Sibanda practised his set pieces, coach Lloyd Chitembwe cut a peaceful figure at the back of the goal, marvelling at an ace he would make full use of this season in a quest for more glory.
Sibanda knows that he will play a big role for CAPS United in the Confederation of African Football Champion League which begins next week, as well as the league, but he will not put pressure on himself by setting any targets.
“Right now I do not want to put too much pressure on myself so I am just going to focus on enjoying the game and whatever comes is a bonus. I don’t have much time left so I just have to enjoy and enjoy it some more,” he said.
