Musona’s hyped performance reflects gap between SA and Zimbabwe

After flopping in both the South African topflight and the now Motsepe Foundation Championship, Walter Musona has surprisingly been a hit in the Zimbabwean elite league.

The 26-year-old was a monumental flop when he joined Sekhukune United following two seasons with Polokwane City before they were relegated from the DStv premiership.

At Sekhukune United in the then National First Division, Musona played one match when he joined the club in January 2021 before he was deemed excess baggage seven months later.

He failed to break into the team’s first 11 and was ultimately frozen out before being shown the exit.

From there, he returned to Zimbabwe, where he joined FC Platinum at the start of the year.

And it is his instant rise in Zimbabwe’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League has provided a vivid depiction of the gap in quality between South African football and that of Zimbabwe in terms of quality.

MUSONA SHINNING IN ZIM

That Musona failed to last the distance in South Africa before immediately becoming a hit in Zimbabwe perhaps indicates a sharp decline in stiff competition in the latter’s league.

Musona arrived in the DStv premiership as an exciting hotshot that had been instrumental in FC Platinum’s rise, where he was partnering with Wisdom Mutasa.

In 60 appearances for Polokwane City between January 2017 and October 2020, the young brother to Knowledge Musona scored a paltry 11 goals for a forward-minded player.

Switch to Zimbabwe; he has already scored 11 goals in 24 appearances for Zimbabwe’s defending champions FC Platinum in the quest for a fourth title on the trot.

The Norman Mapeza coached side is one game away from winning the title of which Musona has emerged as their star player in the run-in.

The young Musona is four goals away from the leading goal scorer William Manondo who has 15 goals to his name and will be fancying his chances of surpassing the latter, who has been out of form.

As it stands, he is one of the few players touted to be crowned Player of the season.

Triumph in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and the Chibuku Super Cup will certainly give him an advantage over his rivals for the award.