ZESCO United Football Club Team Ya Ziko
Last Saturday, Donashano Malama limped off the pitch in the last 4 minutes of ZESCO United’s crucial 1-nil away victory against Green Buffaloes in the FAZ/MTN Super League week 23 encounter played at Sunset stadium, Lusaka.
Malama’s injury came at a time when ZESCO United had used all their substitutes and were hanging on a thin thread against a resilient and determined wounded Buffaloes side.
Sensing ZESCO United’s vulnerability in midfield, with Thabani Kamusoko eliminated from the equation through a terrible head injury and now with Malama hardly moving comfortably, Buffaloes surged forward in search of an equalizer.
Despite getting injured, Malama tried to shrug-off the pain even when it was clear for all to see that he was in terrible agony.
It wasn’t surprising that in the dying minutes of the game Malama raised his white flag by signaling to the technical bench that he couldn’t hold it anymore.
ZESCO United managed to hold on to their lead and emerged victors on the day taking their winning run to seven consecutive victories. Fittingly, Malama emerged the Man of the Match.
Malama started this game in the midfield with midfield maestros, Kamusoko and John Ching’andu.
These three veterans of the game controlled the match in the middle of the park ensuring that Buffaloes were starved of the ball for most parts of the game.
In this encounter, Malama’s task was to meet Buffaloes midfielders punch for punch. Tackle when necessary and track back to defend when required to do so.
His role was to further make life easier for ZESCO United attacking midfielders Kamusoko and Ching’andu whose ingenuity in ball distribution can cause havoc to any team. In short Malama was deployed to do what Ching’andu and Kamusoko can’t do. Which was to impart fear in the Green Buffaloes players and make space for the two attacking midfielders.
Prior to the Green Buffaloes game, coach Numba Mumamba talked about the need for his side to stamp authority on the game from the beginning to the end.
On this day, Malama was the embodiment of what Mumamba had asked from his players. Malama has done his duties diligently whenever he has been called upon. He has given his whole to the team whenever circumstances required him to do so.
The game against Green Buffaloes was an example of how far and how much Malama is ready to give for his team in order to ensure that victory is achieved.
On the contrary, the 30-year-old ZESCO United defensive midfielder remains one of the less celebrated players in the game.
Malama is the N’Golo Kante of yesterday’s English Premier League side, Leicester City whose work rate on matchday could only be magnified and appreciated by his teammates and the opposition.
Like Kante, Malama is short in dribbling skills but this deficiency is often compensated with his work rate which is often irritating to keep up with for many midfielders. Second in his arsenal is Malama’s ability to bully his opponents off the ball using his excessive power and physic. He also retains massive experience that any team needs to win trophies.
When Malama made a switch to ZESCO United, many football fanatics wondered what good the former Nkana Football Club defensive midfielder was going to add to the former league champions.
Malama’s move came at a time when ZESCO United were struggling in most departments. The team had lost its swag and confidence which saw them dispatch 10 of its opponents with surgical beauty in the initial stages of the 2019/2020 league season.
The decision to bring Malama was exacerbated by the absence of Zimbabwean international midfielder, Thabani Kamusoko, who had sustained an awful leg injury that saw him out of action for almost an entire season.
However, even Malama’s move to ZESCO United could not abet the team mount a convincing title challenge for the 2019/20 league season.
This year ZESCO United look set to achieve great success both in the league and Absa cup thanks to the never-say-die attitude from players like Donashano Malama.
Malama like the entire ZESCO United squad have turned around the fortunes of a great club that has for many years enjoyed domestic and continental success.
Author: Desmond Katongo
