Navaya hits 10, relishes 20-goal record last reached by Norman Maroto
Striker Washington Navaya is a man on a mission. After hitting the 10-goal mark, ‘The Navigator’ has his eyes firmly on 20 goals — a feat no striker has managed in the last 15 years.
Washington Navaya is now level with Herentals College FC captain Ralph Kawondera on 10 goals at the top of the scoring charts after his brace in their 4-0 win over ZPC Kariba FC on Sunday.
Having won the Golden Boot with 17 goals last season when he was named Soccer Star of the Year, Navaya is raring to breach the 20-goal mark and perhaps break Norman Maroto’s 15-year record.
“My first goal for this season was to manage double figures. Now, with the Grace of God, I have managed. The next is hoping that I manage to reach last season’s tally, as I also hope to go beyond it. With teamwork, I hope and pray that we will manage all our targets,” Navaya said after notching a brace against ZPC Kariba.
Warriors striker Washington Navaya has become a darling in Kwekwe. Picture by Hardrock FC/Facebook
Local strikers have consistently failed to surpass the 20-goal mark in recent Castle Lager Premier Soccer League seasons. It’s now 15 years since a local striker scored over 20 goals in one PSL season.
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The last person to achieve the feat was former Dynamos FC striker Norman Maroto, who scored 22 goals for Gunners in 2010.
Since then, the strikers who have come after him have failed to go beyond 20 goals. Dynamos’ Rodreck Mutuma was the Premier Soccer League’s top goal scorer in 2011 with 14 goals. Nelson Mazivisa came close with 18 goals in 2012.
The following year, the late Tendai Ndoro also found the net 18 times as a Chicken Inn FC. CAPS United forward Dominic Chungwa also put in a good shift in 2018 with 17 goals.
The 2019 season concluded with Ngezi Platinum Stars forward Clive Augusto winning the Golden Boot after managing 14 goals before the league faced extended disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021 season was compressed into a transitional period before resuming a standard calendar in 2022. William Manondo, then a CAPS United striker, won the accolade with 17 goals.
Ngezi Platinum forward Takunda Benhura went on to win the 2023 Golden Boot with only 13 goals and struggled to score the following season.
In 2024, Lynoth Chikuhwa managed to score 17 goals as a Highlanders FC striker. He however faded after switching to Scottland FC.
For many, the question remains: what is the reason behind the poor scoring rate? Even the late Maroto was of the view that perhaps midfielders are not creating enough chances.
With the way Hardrock’s midfield trio of Neliswe Dlamini, Munashe Bamara and Donald Mudadi have been assisting, it would not be surprising if Navaya breaks the 15-year record.
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