Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE abrupt end of Guinea’s football season has spoiled what had been a perfect debut season for Zimbabwe international Tafadzwa Kutinyu.

The national team midfielder joined the West African side Horoya AC at the beginning of the 2019/20 from Tanzania’s Azam.

In an interview from his base, Kutinyu, who has been commanding regular first team starts at the side, said he is waiting for airports to open and return home.

Kutinyu and his side have been inactive since March 13 after winning 1-0 against Soar Coyah in a league match. At the time of the league suspension, Horoya AC were on top of the table with 29 points from 13 games. They were leading second-placed Wakiyra by four points.

Horoya are also through to the Caf Confederation Cup.

“I’ve had the best season of my career so far affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Though we’ve been told that we will play in the Caf Champions League again after the premature end of the season, I had hoped to get the winners’ medal. But what can I say? God knows what he has in store for me,” said Kutinyu.

“Now my hope is that maybe Caf reschedules the Confederation Cup so that I play in the semi-finals. Who knows, if that happens I might get a European breakthrough,” he said.

The former Bantu Rovers and Chicken Inn midfielder says competing against the physically gifted West Africans had improved his game.

“Besides being hot, competition has been tight and it’s not easy playing against the heavily built West Africans. It has improved my game and I’ve also added a couple of kilos,” he said.

When the Covid-19 lockdown hit Guinea, Kutinyu’s family had just left West Africa for Zimbabwe.

“Right now airports are closed, but once they open I’m coming home. It’s better to be locked with your family than being alone. I do have a couple of teammates that we spend time together at our apartment. We can’t go out, we only do indoor exercises,” said Kutinyu. — @ZililoR