From right back to rescue act: Masibera’s striker instinct keeps Gem Boys survival hopes alive

When Manica Diamonds Football Club needed goals, they turned to their captain.

During the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League week 23 0-2 loss to CAPS United at Sakubva Stadium, Lawrence Masibera spent the entire second half leading the line as a centre forward and it wasn’t an accident.

The Gem Boys’ captain and top scorer with 4 goals this season, revealed to Fanzone that attack is actually where it all started for him.

“I used to play as a striker during my early years. I could play any position in the front three but I shifted back to defence in 2018 when we were still playing in Division 1,” Masibera said.

“During that time I could shift back into attack when the team was facing injuries. To me that shift is something that is not hard, it is only merely a matter of adjusting from the defensive mentality to attack mentality.”

That leadership and versatility has come in handy at a time when Manica Diamonds are embroiled in a relegation fight, currently sitting 17th on the log with 16 points after 23 games.

Masibera’s goals have kept them within touching distance, as they are five points from safety.

Speaking on the mood in the camp as the season enters a crucial phase, the captain was defiant.

“All is well in the camp, the mentality that we have is to keep on fighting till the end because there is still a lot of football to be played and we will come out with a positive result come the end of the season,” he said.

“We will continue to push hard and fight for the badge, we promise our fans that we will survive relegation, we are not going down.”

However, Masibera will watch from the stands this afternoon as Herbert Maruwa’s men face Herentals FC at Rufaro Stadium in Week 24.

The captain is suspended after picking up three yellow cards.

Herentals come into the game 7th on the log with 36 points, but will be looking to bounce back after a 1-0 loss away to Triangle FC.

With their captain, top scorer and defensive general missing, the Gem Boys will need someone else to step up. But if the situation gets desperate again, Masibera has already proven he can do both jobs.