BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
NGEZi Platinum Stars suffered the agony of having to lose two consecutive Chibuku Super Cup finals after falling 5 – 3 in a penalty shootout to rivals FC Platinum last week.
But the Mhondoro-Ngezi based side forward Bruno Mtigo had something to cheer about after scooping the golden boot award, scoring seven goals in the impressive run to the final of the country’s premier knockout competition.
While he would have preferred to win the team award that would have guaranteed the club’s participation in the CAF Confederations Cup he is delighted to have won the individual accolade.
The 26-year-old star beat his talismanic teammate Denver Mukamba, who netted five goals in the competition.
Former CAPS United striker Ishmael Wadi finished among the top scorers despite having only played in the first half of the Group 1 matches before moving to South Africa in August.
Wadi has the same number of goals with Harare City’s William Manondo and FC Platinum star Rodwell Chinyengetere.
Mtigo reflects on the individual achievement and Chibuku Cup final heartbreak.
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“I would say winning the top goal scorer award was my goal from the start of the competition and I was very happy that I managed to achieve that target,” Mtigo told The Sports Hub.
“I believed in myself from the start and told myself that I was going to win the Chibuku Cup golden boot and I’m very thankful for believing in myself. I am also grateful to God and everyone that pushed to achieve this milestone,” he added.
In spite of the loss to FC Platinum Mtigo says he was pleased with the team’s performance.
“I would say I was hurt that we lost because we always play to win as Ngezi Platinum Stars and after the loss to Highlanders in 2019 we wanted to make amends this time around. However I was pleased by the way we went about our business because we played very well.
“We tried our very best playing away from home against a strong team in its own backyard and the game had to be decided in a penalty shootout. There had to be a winner on the day and unfortunately it was FC Platinum, who won and congratulations to them,” Mtigo said.
Mtigo has already shifted his focus to the Premier League where he is also looking to replicate his Chibuku Cup goal scoring form but is yet to get off the mark in two matches.
“I have my personal target, which is to play in big leagues outside the country and to achieve that I know I have to keep working hard and stand out. I hope to continue scoring in the league and help the team as well as win individual accolades like this one while I build on my football dreams,” Mtigo said.
The Ngezi Platinum attacker is a product of Chemhanza High School, but has played for several clubs including Harare giants Dynamos, Shabanie Mine FC, Chapungu and ZPC Munyati.
“I grew up in Harare, and the clubs I played for include Shabanie Mine,Chapungu and ZPC Munyati. My career started at Kambuzuma High and later Chemhanza.
“While I was at school I joined an academy called Rockets in Kambuzuma before I joined Dynamos juniors from 2011 to 2014 before moving to Shabanie where I stayed from 2015 to 2017 and switched to Chapungu in 2018 and ZPC Munyati the same season. I came to Ngezi Platinum in 2019 and I have enjoyed my football here,” revealed Mtigo.
Mtigo also revealed that he could have pursued gymnastics had he not been a footballer.
“I was a gymnast from when I was very young and I was good at it. Most of my friends, who continued on that path are now in foreign countries such as Germany and China,” he said.
