Rare diamond: Willard Katsande about to score the Soweto Derby winner yesterday, with Senzo Meyiwa beaten and Sifiso Myeni a mere spectator |
SOME diamonds don’t sparkle. Some diamonds are industrial. Some
diamonds are forged in the depths of the earth for drilling and grinding.
While their expensive cousins sit on the end of gold
pendants and draw admiring looks for doing very little, the industrial diamond
- tougher than any other substance known to man - simply cuts through the crap
and does the job.
I put it to you m’lady: Willard Katsande is an industrial
diamond. But as 90000 witnessed at Soccer City on Saturday, he’s a gem none-the-less
in Kaizer Chiefs’ glittering array of double-winning sparklers.
Look, it’s no good pretending Stuart Baxter’s tactical genius
won the Soweto Derby on Saturday. Or blaming former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Vladimir
Vermerzovic for dropping Happy Jele and Thabo Matlaba.
It’s no good pretending the latest clash between the Soweto
rivals was a classic, though the last half-hour was pleasantly hectic as Kaizer
Chiefs held out for a telling 1-0 triumph.
And, Lehlohonolo Majoro, you really can’t blame the AmaKhosi
for booing you after that controversial flit between South Africa’s two biggest
clubs.
Forget all that. This was Katsande’s day. The man I
described on twitter on Friday as “the best player in South Africa this season”.
Blimey, did I take some stick for that one. After the game, typically, he had
little time for self-embellishment. Industrial diamonds don’t bother with all
that pretty stuff.
“We stuck to the game plan,” he growled, “We worked hard, we
worked as a team. I did my job. But it was nice to get a goal at last. It was
long overdue but it was an important one.”
Before the start on Saturday I sent Mbax an SMS
complimenting South Africa’s most successful current coach for picking “a
positive line-up” which included all THREE of the big guns he dropped for 2-0
midweek defeat against Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
Having seen his 17-game unbeaten run since November 5 ended
by Allan Freese’s men, Baxter put Knowledge Musona (the nation’s top scorer
with 13 goals in all competitions), Bernard Parker (the PSL top scorer with 10
League goals) and Kingston Nkatha in his starting line-up. Goals aplenty
loomed.
The truth is, it didn’t quite work. Buccaneer Mpho Mokola
worked like a whirlwind in a first half where, against all the odds, Pirates
actually had the upper hand. With Oupa Manyisa and Kermit Erasmus also doing
good work, Chiefs were wobbling at times in a dullish opening 45 minutes.
Though stand-in goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse made two
comfortable saves, only one Chief really stood up to be counted in the opening
stanza. I like to call him “KARDSANDE” due to Willard’s reputation for gaining
a yellow card in every appearance as he charges around the midfield keeping
control, regaining possession, winning the ball, keeping it.
So it was only right that South Africa’s premier defensive
midfielder should score the only goal in front of 92,000 people on Saturday.
It was no rip-roaring snorter. And it was his first in 67
games in the PSL. Simphiwe Tshabalala’s corner was probably too close to Senzo
Meyiwa. But Nkatha blocked the keeper’s route to the ball and Katsande popped
up on the far post to scramble the ball home.
After his first EVER goal celebration in South Africa, the
28-year-old Zimbabwean returned to his day job and spent the frantic last 30
minutes doing what he does best: snuffing out the Buccaneers as they
desperately sought the equaliser.
There were times when he tackled with his shins, cleared with
a rogue knee or blocked with the back of his head. But Katsande, born in Mutoko
on January 15, 1986, never gave up. Spotted by Bobby Motaung while playing a
friendly for Zimbabwe v Zambia in 2011, Katsande’s arrival at Naturena in from
Ajax Cape Town two years ago didn’t make much of a ripple in the transfer
waters.
But having tackled himself to a standstill in a shock 1-0
win over mighty Egyptians Al Ahly in 2010 for Gunners FC, Katsande already had
an established reputation as a Makalele defensive midfielder to the north of
our borders. Gunners FC lost that African Champions League tie in Cairo but
went on to win the Zimbabwean title with Katsande at the heart of their
midfield in 2010.
Not that Katsande’s rise was meteoric. He started out as a
teenager with Frontier Steel (2002–2005) and Feruka (2006–2007) before moving
to Highway (2007-2009), a bunch of lads from Mutare renowned for their
giant-killing exploits. That’s when the Gunners stepped in. The rest, as they
say…
History of course, can take strange twists. Baxter sent me a
two-word SMS after the Derby. It said simply “IMMENSE KATSANDE”, but he also
admits: "I’ve told you this before, when I first saw Willard at training,
I told (assistant coach) Doctor Khumalo ‘He can't play for Chiefs, he’s too
reckless!’ But he’s worked so hard since then, he deserves all this.”
After Saturday’s Soweto Derby, Baxter chatted a bit about a
poor first half and the changes he made at half-time. But then came the quote
that mattered: “Yes, we packed the midfield. WITH ONE MAN. The guy over there
with the Man of the Match award. Willard Katsande was incredible today.”
And that, in a nutshell, was the story of the Soweto Derby.
With Bidvest Wits upset 3-1 by Free State Stars on Saturday night, who’s to say
Katsande’s rare goal isn’t the most important strike of the season?
You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.
BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and charity bets for our Wingzofchange charity!
thank you neals. good sunday afternoon read, feels good after a chiefs win of course,
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