LOWVELD side Triangle United’s narrow midweek loss to Harare City in the capital put an end to a run of five consecutive Premier Soccer League wins.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
And in those five matches, the team’s talisman has been veteran forward Lameck Nhamo.
Nhamo netted in four of the five matches, helping Triangle to storm into third place on the top scorer’s charts while lifting the modest team into the top four going into the last fixture.
One has to understand Nhamo’s frustration after the Harare City defeat.
“Today I wasn’t myself and I can do far much better. Maybe it was the travelling because everyone seemed a bit heavy and perhaps too many matches since we played another match at the weekend. It was just difficult to get clear chances to score today compared to the past games,” the stocky 31-year-old Triangle star lamented.
The former Masvingo United player is without doubt one of the in-form players in the local league currently and is showing marks of a potential soccer star this early.
At 31, Nhamo feels that he is at the peak of his career and probably has only a couple more seasons to achieve some of his career goals and unfulfilled dreams.
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This year Nhamo has set himself the target to win the Castle Lager premier soccer league golden boot, to make the Soccer Star of the Year calendar and push for a Warriors call-up.
While he has matured with age like wine, he is also driven by disappointment from last season.
“I was hurt last season when I failed to make it among the 11 best footballers in the country because I thought I had done enough to deserve a place.
“The disappointment has upped my desire and this year I have set myself the target to go for the top goalscorer award and also make it in the soccer stars calendar,” Nhamo told The Sports Hub in an exclusive interview.
With four goals so far, Nhamo trails the leaders Simba Nhivi of Caps United and surprise package Shabanie’s David Temwanjera, who are tied on five goals each.
“I am also hoping for a last chance to play for the national team and I know if I continue the way I started the season it’s possible to achieve this. At my age, I think I am at my peak so I know I have between now and the next two years to achieve all that I have not achieved. If it does not happen in the next two years, then I know my career is over,” he said
Nhamo moved to Triangle from former premier league side Masvingo United six years ago and has been blowing hot and cold over the period although he remains a cult hero in the Lowveld.
In 2014, Nhamo was part of the Triangle side awash with football talent that went on to lift the One wallet Cup after a penalty shoot-out victory over Dynamos in Harare. According to Nhamo, Triangle United have set themselves to finish in the top four in the league this season.
“As a team we want to finish in the top four. We started the season badly with two defeats, but we managed to go on a six-match unbeaten run. So far we have done well with the quality team we have as well as a good coach in [Taurai] Mangwiro,” he said.
Nhamo’s football career began at Pamushana High School before he played for his hometown team, Masvingo United, and then moved to Triangle when the former got relegated. After spending six years in Triangle, Nhamo believes there is a lot of talent in the Lowveld and with good coaching as well as exposure, the club will start winning big things in local football.
“There is plenty of talent in Triangle and the Masvingo province at large, but there is need for a lot of nurturing. It will not be a surprise to see teams from this province beginning to win big things in local football,” he said.
Triangle host Bulawayo Chiefs at their favourite hunting ground Gibbo Stadium and Nhamo will be hoping to rediscover his scoring touch.
