Nyandoro crowned Best Midfielder in South Africa

By Henry Makiwa
6 December 2007

Zimbabwe national soccer team midfield dynamo Esrom Nyandoro has been voted the Best Midfielder for this year’s Telkom Knockout tournament in South Africa.

Nyandoro’s award was consolation to his team’s loss in the South African Football Association cup final, when Kaizer Chiefs Football Club beat his Mamelodi Sundowns team. In scooping the top midfielder award gong, Nyandoro had to beat off stiff competition from fellow countryman Tinashe Nengomasha of Kaizer Chiefs and Malawian veteran, John Maduka.

Nengomasha’s team mate and Bafana Bafana’s second choice goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune, walked away with two valuable honours. Khune was crowned Goalkeeper and Player of the tournament at the awards ceremony on Tuesday in Johannesburg.

The 27-year-old Nyandoro, who has attracted the attention of English club Sheffield United in the past, plays for the same team as former Warriors Captain Peter Ndlovu.

Elsewhere in the South African Premiership, former Warriors striker Gilbert Mushangazhike has moved to Soweto giants Orlando Pirates, on a reported two-year deal.
Mushangazhike made a name for himself when he won the South African Golden Boot honours with the now defunct club, Manning Rangers. His exploits saw him move to Germany before joining Chinese club Jiangsu Shuntian at the end of last season.

The 32-year-old told a local daily last week that he was moving to South Africa to attract the attention of Warriors squad selectors ahead of the 2010 world cup campaign. It is clear that the former Fire Batteries hitman still entertains a chance to dance with the Warriors, despite the emergence of a new breed of forwards. Attacking players who have been hogging the limelight lately include in-form captain, Benjani Mwaruwari, the US-based striker Joseph Ngwenya and new wonder boy, Kingstone Nkhata of Caps Football club.