A RAGING debate has ensued among football pundits, coaches and football writers on why Highlanders kingpin Lynoth “Sonjy” Chikuhwa is not part of coach Michael Nees’ Warriors squad, even after capping a fine 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League performance, netting 16 goals to date with one match to go.
In his first season with the Bulawayo giants in 2022, coming from Botswana, the striker scored 10 goals and spiraled downwards last year to score a meager three goals only to rise to cap a dream season this year.
However, Chikuhwa has failed to catch the attention of all the senior men’s national team gaffers, Norman Mapeza, Jairos Tapera and Nees, missing out on the World Cup, Cosafa, African Nations Championships (Chan) and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
This is in spite of the fact that he is on his way to nick the 2024 Castle Lager Golden Boot award, unless anything happens in the last games under challenge from Yadah’s Khama Billiat (13 goals), William Manondo of Caps United (12), Ngezi Platinum Stars’ Takunda Benhura and Simba Bhora’s Tymon Machope on 11 goals apiece and Simba Bhora skipper Walter Musona (10).
Interestingly Musona and Machope are part of Nees’ squad.
The Bosso gunman is unperturbed by the Warriors’ snub, but says coaches have different approaches to the game and reckons his time will come.
“About being left out in the national team, I don’t blame anyone. It’s football. Every coach has his philosophy, I have to continue working hard and one day my chance will come,” Chikuhwa said.
Chikuhwa speaks of his dream season and says it has been self-belief, working an extra mile and paying attention to his mentors that has kept him afloat this year.
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Zambian gaffer Kelvin Kaindu is in charge at Bosso while Warriors legend Agent Sawu is in charge of the strikers as one of the assistant coaches.
“I wanted to do better than last year and I attribute my remarkable form to self-belief and working hard. It has also been the important cohesion, the hard work and one love that we share with each as a team. The coaches always told me that we have to put an extra effort and in the first round of the games they told me that this was my year if I pushed hard," Chikuhwa said.
“There are even a lot of individuals who always pushed me up, specifically the club legends, they believed in me and I also believed. My team mates also helped me a lot. We worked as a team, everyone played their roles to help me achieve my goals.”
He made special mention of striking partner Brighton “MaNinja” Ncube, who provided a number of assists for the striker.
“But there is my big man, MaNinja. The one love we have and we always help each other and he always said ‘If don’t score, make sure you do’ and that is what we always did,” Chikuhwa said.
At some point, Chikuhwa was a villain to many a Highlanders fan and he says that his best goal was when he scored in March when the Bulawayo giants played a 1-1 draw against city neighbours Bulawayo Chiefs at Barbourfields Stadium.
“The goal which stands as memorable is my first goal of the season against Bulawayo Chiefs because during the game the supporters booed me, but I managed to score and my celebration was said to be disrespectful to the fans but no ways, it was just emotional,” he says.
Albeit on a losing note, when CAPS United overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 in a league match in Harare in September, Chikuhwa says his opener for Highlanders gave him hope that the dream for the top goal scorer award was still alive.
“The match that I showcased myself as a contender for the top goal scorer award was versus CAPS United in Harare because I had almost given up on the Golden Boot,” Chikuhwa said.
Early in the month, he notched a hat trick (MaNinja assisting in all three goals) in the 4-0 demolishing of Green Fuel, becoming the first Bosso player in a decade to score three goals in a match after Charles Sibanda in 2014 against Green Buffaloes at Sakubva Stadium.
That hat trick put him in the prime position for the Golden Boot award.
“It was a long journey as a team as a family with our supporters. It was not an easy one. But we thank God for what he did and wish to come back strong next season as a team,” he said.
