HARARE - Blackstone Primarys senior soccer team striker, Munashe Kaseke, was excited to have been chosen as a player escort for the Brazilians when Zimbabwe became the fifth country in Africa to host the Samba boys in an international friendly hosted at the National Sports Stadium. The 11-year-old was thrilled by his lifetime opportunity to march onto the pitch from the dressing rooms hand in hand with a world-class footballer, Kaka, on an afternoon every soccer fan would have given anything to be a metre close to him.
I was so excited when I was chosen to be a player escort, I knew I will be so close to the players from Brazil and when I found out I was escorting Kaka himself it was just more exciting, said young Kaseke.
Munashe is the son of Zimbabwe Tourism Authority boss, Karikoga Kaseke. The Grade six Blackstone Primary striker has so far scored two goals for his team in the two matches they have played against Tynwald and Avonlea.
He loved watching the Warriors Knowledge Musona displaying his talent despite the determination by one of the worldS strongest defence to take the Kaizer Chiefs forward down. Kaseke also told The Zimbabwean he was inspired by the skills of the Real Madrid striker. Watching him live and up-close was to him like my own World Cup.
Number 17 (Musona) of Zimbabwe is good, I like his speed, but I wish I could play like Kaka. I want to be a football star like him when I grow up, he said with a smile.
Kaseke had predicted a 0-2 defeat for Zimbabwe and Brazil added another one to end the match 0-3 with the hosts appearing to have given up on attacking in the second half. But Zimbabwes first half display saw some true Warriors who were out to impress their fans although it was clear to everyone that for a team that has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup to beat the global tournaments five-time Champions was a mission impossible.
Zimbabwe soccer fans could not resist the big temptation of supporting Brazil and the entertaining goals by Michele Bastos, Robinho and midfielder Elano impressed everyone.
Amongst the crowd that thronged the National Sports Stadium, last Wednesday, was a married couple united by love but differentiated by their nationality.
Vivian Moreno is a young Brazilian woman who married a Zimbabwean man in London, last year. Now they are both expecting their first child to raise it in Zimbabwe. For them this was a great outing to celebrate their love. They came to the stadium in full support of both teams with Moreno raising a Brazilian flag and her husband, Tambi Motowanyika, waving the Zimbabwes colourful emblem.
This is not about who wins or lose, its all about celebrating football here in Africa, said the young Brazilian woman. I last watched Brazil live in London three years ago when we were beaten by Portugal. Being here with my husband to watch Brazil play his country it is to me like a tribute to our love. Im so excited about it; I feel like I have been visited by my family.
Post published in: Football