HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu might have found a solution to his team’s struggles in front of goal through Marvin Sibanda.
Sibanda (25), an attacking midfielder, was based in the United States and was signed by Highlanders at the beginning of the year. He was not afforded much game time since the league started in March.
The midfielder made sporadic substitute appearances often as a bench warmer.
Many Highlanders’ fans might have forgotten about him until last weekend when Highlanders drew 1-1 with Bikita Minerals.
Sibanda was on target in the first half, but the miners cancelled his goal in the second half to claim a share ofspoils, the fifth consecutive stalemate for Highlanders.
It was his first start for Highlanders and he played 73 minutes before he was replaced by Mason Mushore.
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From the start of the game until he was substituted, Sibanda acquitted himself well in that match.
He scored a gem of a goal on Sunday against Hwange at BF, the solitary strike that gave the Bulawayo giants the much-awaited victory.
Sibanda has suddenly become the darling of the multitudes of Bosso fans, getting thumbs up from those who braved the chilly weather on Sunday to witness the victory.
He has become the tonic for Kaindu, coming as an alternative to strikers Lynoth Chikuhwa and Brighton Ncube, who have been firing blanks of late.
Chikuhwa and Ncube are on seven and five goals, respectively, with the former leading the league’s scorers’ chart at par with Bikita Minerals’ Evans Katema.
Kaindu spoke highly of Sibanda and explained why he has been on the sidelines.
“We have seen from the time that he [Sibanda] joined. We did not want to rush him. We were just trying to prepare him for the right time and he came at the right time, two starts and two goals. It shows that he is helping,” the Bosso mentor said.
“All we need to do is to push him more. We still believe he can do better, but if he is getting goals, we also want him to assist, but so far so good. Giving us two goals in two games is good for us.”
Sibanda was coached by Highlanders legendary midfielder Johannes Ngodzo at Bantu Rovers in the Zifa Bulawayo Province Junior League and in the Zifa Southern Region Division One league before he moved to the US on a scholarship in 2016, courtesy of Tshintsha Guluva owner Methembe Ndlovu.
In January when Sibanda joined Bosso, Ngodzo said: “He [Sibanda] is one player who has a passion for football. He is a brilliant player. Highlanders got someone good in Marvin, a good midfielder, a left-footer like me, but a bit slow.
“He has got the vision. He must just keep his head up and get used to the environment because the crowd at BF is intimidating. But if he is still what he was back then when I coached him, he is one boy who has got a lot of talent.”
Sibanda’s last club was USL League Two side Little Rock Rangers, which is based in Arkansas, and signed a three-year contract with the Bulawayo giants.