Rutendo Makore conquering Spain

Sport
FIVE-TIME Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi fired a brace in between the legs of Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at the Nou Camp to take Barcelona to the Uefa champions league quarter-finals on March 14.

FIVE-TIME Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi fired a brace in between the legs of Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at the Nou Camp to take Barcelona to the Uefa champions league quarter-finals on March 14.

BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE

And in Huelva, a port city in southwestern Spain, Mighty Warriors chief striker Rutendo Makore may have been taking some notes from one of the world’s best.

Barely four days later, Makore slid the ball in between the legs of Spanish international and Barcelona goalkeeper Sandra Paños to hand her team Sporting de Huelva a crucial 1-1 draw against the Spanish football giants.

Makore, now plying her trade in Spain, is already carving a reputation of scoring against top sides after she scored a brace against Spanish Femenino Primera División-Liga Iberdrola log leaders Atletico Madrid late last month.

Spain is now virtually conquered for the Norton-born and bred Makore, who recently got engaged to Black Rhinos player Cliff Chitsamba just before her departure for Europe.

The player, who spearheaded Zimbabwe’s attack as the national women team participated at the Rio Olympics in 2006, seems to be enjoying her stay in Europe.

“Playing against the best (and) scoring against the best! By God’s grace I’m blessed indeed, thank you my Lord,” Rutendo wrote on her Facebook page after the Barcelona match last Sunday.

Barcelona are currently in second position in the league, while they are also in the quarter-finals of the Uefa Women’s Champions League.

The player affectionately known as “Madzimai” in local football circles had a blinder of a game against Barca, running rings around the defence and could have ended the match with a hat-trick on the day.

After failing to beat Paños with a snapshot after 11 minutes, Makore gave the hosts the lead in the 48th minute to send Ciudad Deportiva El Conquero stadium into celebration.

However, Toni Duggan restored parity 13 minutes later to deny struggling Sporting de Huelva maximum points and Makore was substituted for Cameroonian midfielder Ngo Mbeleck.

Makore seems to have struck a rich vein of form since returning from injury which has seen her relegate Ngo Mbeleck to the bench. She may have permanently sealed a place in the team with goals against two Spanish giants.

“I just want to thank my coaches for the opportunity that they gave me. They have hope that I can do it (score goals for the team) and I have proved to them that I can do it. I want to thank the supporters for coming to cheer us on.

“Everyone wanted to win the game, but unfortunately we drew. We were working as a team and Barcelona is a big team, but we managed to hold them,” she told Spanish reporters after the match.

Makore also basks in the glory of having scored against Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

“I feel happy for what I have achieved so far. Playing against Atletico Madrid I scored two and playing against Barcelona I scored one, so I feel happy that I have scored against the big teams,” the 25-year-old former Black Rhinos Queens forward said.

Her performance against Barca has helped Makore add another feather in her cap after she was voted among the best 11 players for the week.

Again Makore took to Facebook to celebrate her recognition.

“Dzingori nyasha pamusoro penyasha (It’s just grace upon grace) top 11 of the week, thank you Jesus!”

Against Atletico Madrid, after coming on in the 67th minute with her team training 3-0, Makore scored on either side of Esther Gonzalez’ strike, which was Madrid’s fourth goal, to restore some respectability on the final score.

Makore blasted home from close range 11 minutes after coming on before rising majestically to head home another one in the 86th minute on the February 24 evening.

The Mighty Warriors striker will always be remembered for orchestrating Zimbabwe’s first ever goal at the global games in Brazil scored by Kudakwashe Basopo two years ago.

She unleashed a thunderous shot which Germany goalkeeper Almuth Schult found too hot to handle, leaving Basopo with the simple task of taping the ball home.

Makore knew she was ready for the European challenge after the Rio Games, but she had to be patient and took the opportunity to play in Egypt at El Elemayeen Football Academy late 2016.

The big break to Europe came for Makore when she joined Sporting Huelva on a six-month trial in November last year and it looks like she may be staying longer in Spain or move to a bigger league judging by her recent performances.

Makore is expected to lead the Mighty Warriors attack during the Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers which roar into life next month with Zimbabwe taking on Namibia in the first round.

The Mighty Warriors kick-start their campaign away from home on April 5 before the return leg on April 8 at Rufaro.