Chungwa strikes gold
CAPS United forward Dominic Chungwa has signed for South African Premiership side Polokwane City, as he starts to reap the rewards of his splendid campaign last season.Chungwa netted a staggering 17 goals in a season he spent the better part on the sidelines due to injuries, to win the Golden Boot Award, as well as being voted one of the 11 Soccer Stars of the Year finalists.
The 31-year-old’s contract with the Green Machine expires tomorrow.
Club president Farai Jere yesterday confirmed that Chungwa had signed for the Rise and Shine.
“He has signed for Polokwane City. I don’t have the finer details of the deal, but he left the country today (yesterday). He called me when he was at the airport to inform me about the developments and I wished him well. I’m really happy for him, he deserves it because he is a hard worker. He has improved a lot since he joined us and I’m confident he will excel at his new club,” Jere said.
Reports from South Africa yesterday suggested that Chungwa had signed a three-year contract with the club, which is also home to two other Zimbabweans, goalkeeper George Chigova and Walter Musona.
“Polokwane City have signed highly-rated Zimbabwean striker Dominic Chungwa on a three-year contract from Caps United,” a soccer website KickOff.com reported yesterday
Chungwa has improved his game in the past two seasons since joining the Harare giants from city rivals, Dynamos.
After a poor season at Dynamos, he crossed the floor and scored a handful of goals before excelling in the just-ended season, where he netted in goals for fun especially after the mid-season
break.
The reports added that Polokwane City were making frantic efforts to register the striker with the Absa Premier Soccer League, for him to feature for the side when league action in the Absa Premiership resumes next weekend following a festive season break.
City, currently fourth from the bottom, will host league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns looking for their only fourth win of the season.
They have played 14 matches so far.
The Polokwane-based side are desperate to sign a quality striker to complement Rodney Ramagalela, who currently tops the league’s scoring charts, after netting eight of his team’s 14 goals this season.
Musona is the club’s second best goalscorer with just two goals.
Polokwane City has settled for Chungwa after failing to prise away Dynamos’ Christian Ntouba, who was their initial target.
They had agreed a deal with Dynamos for the Cameroonian, who is having trials at Bidvest Wits University, but then failed to agree on personal terms with the player, prompting them to look elsewhere.
Chungwa’s departure could prove to be a huge blow to Caps United, who are also set to lose fellow striker John Zhuwawo, who has been linked with a move to Ajax Cape Town.
A delegation from the Cape Town side was reportedly in the country last week to negotiate for the transfer of Zhuwawo, who just like Chungwa, also hit top form late in the season.
BY HENRY MHARA
