Nakamba makes his mark at Vitesse Marvelous Nakamba
Marvelous Nakamba

Marvelous Nakamba

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS midfielder Marvelous Nakamba’s performance at Dutch topflight side Vitesse has won him admiration from the club’s fans who voted him the second best player of the season.

Nakamba, who has established himself as a vital cog at the Dutch outfit, won his first silverware in Europe when Vitesse Arnhem collected a major trophy for the first time in their 125-year history after they beat AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Cup.

He however, lost out to striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel for the top prize.

According to the Vitesse website, nearly 2 000 supporters cast their vote in the election organised annually by the Supporters’ Club Vitesse.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel polled 38 percent of the votes, Nakamba (35 percent), while the club’s 2015-16 Player of the Year Guram Kashia was a distant third with nine percent.

Nakamba, who is in the country for holiday, is delighted with the supporters’ vote of confidence in him and believes his hard work is paying off.

“This has been a great season for me and I’m happy with how I performed this season. I’m grateful to God and everyone at the club for the support that they gave me. I have been working hard to improve as a player since my arrival and I think that is why the supporters voted me the second best player at the club. I will continue working hard,” said Nakamba.

The 23-year-old former Bantu Rovers midfielder said he was home for a short holiday, with Vitesse set to start their pre-season early as they prepare for the Europa League.

During his break, Nakamba is expected to be part of the Warriors’ squad for the opening match of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Liberia at the National Sports Stadium on June 11.

Following a disappointing showing by the Warriors in this year’s Afcon tournament held in Gabon, the senior national team will be hoping for better fortunes in what appears to be a tough group that also consists of DRC and Congo Brazzaville.

Nakamba’s performance in Europe will no doubt inspire up-and-coming footballers, especially from Bantu Rovers, a club that gave him a Premier Soccer League debut when he was a Form Three pupil at Njube High School.

At Bantu Rovers, Nakamba played alongside the South African-based duo of midfielders Kuda Mahachi and Danny “Deco” Phiri, who are both at Golden Arrows, and FC Platinum’s Nqobizitha Masuku.

Kaizer Chiefs-bound Chicken Inn defender Teenage Hadebe and FC Platinum’s defence twins Kevin and Elvis Moyo are some of the Premiership players that also got their first topflight dance at Bantu Rovers in 2009 alongside Nakamba.

The present crop of Bantu Rovers’ players expected to follow in the footsteps of Nakamba include skipper and the Castle Lager Premiership leading scorer with seven goals Bukhosi Zakhu Sibanda, Munyaradzi Chitambwe, Lucky Ndlela and Gladman Bharibhari.

– @ZililoR

 

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