By Elijah Muponda

THE venue for the 1973 Chibuku Cup final was at Gwanzura Stadium because they were putting the final touches to Rufaro. It was Dynamos against Rio Tinto and time was not on Dynamos’ side. The unthinkable was about to happen — Dynamos were trailing 2-3. The stadium, which was earlier on filled to capacity, was now half-empty as Dynamos fans trooped out in disbelief and disappointment. Then suddenly, the ball was passed to one of the shortest players on the field. The little man kept to the touchline and magically weaved his way past a couple of players. Then he unleashed a ferocious shot and the Rio Tinto goalkeeper flung full stretch into the air, but the ball had already nestled into the corner of the net. This was George Shaya at his best and many soccer fans had witnessed many magical moments from this diminutive Dynamos right winger. This is the same player whose brilliance had forced me to drive all the way from Rusape with my friends to witness this last major cup final to be staged at Gwanzura Stadium before soccer moved to Rufaro. Rio Tinto were soundly thrashed 6-2 in the replay in the first major cup game to be played at Rufaro Stadium. And the chief destroyer was George Shaya. I am a great soccer enthusiast, and as I go down memory lane, I find Shaya to be arguably the finest soccer player the country has ever produced. That he won the Soccer Star of the Year award five times is testimony of the high esteem with which soccer experts held him. George was a deadly dribbler and with his close control you would think the ball was glued to his boots. Dribbling wingers were very dangerous. Usually, the right back or left back was assigned to mark them. It is different now where zonal marking means even a dribbling wizard will have to negotiate his way past a forest of uncompromising legs. This is why at that time wingers like Stephen Kwashi, George Chieza, July Sharara, Mike Abrahams, etc, were such a menace as they left either of the fullbacks in circles on their way to deliver the final pass or score. However, the best among them all was George Shaya nicknamed “Matanyera” because of his extraordinary dribbling skills. I will never forget the 1976 Champion of Champions final when Black Aces were humiliated 8-0. On that Sunday, the hardtackling Aces fullback, Peter Manyara, had a nightmarish afternoon. Shaya roasted the bewildered hardman for 90 minutes and his pinpoint passes helped Daniel “Dhi Dhi Dhi” Ncube to score five of the eight goals. To us spectators, Shaya looked rather reserved, perhaps even shy. I remember way back in 1974 when Dynamos still had a bus. Shaya was among the players when they passed through Rusape on their way to Mutare. When the bus stopped at Balfour Hotel, we tried to have a glimpse of our heroes. Most of the players were either stretching their muscles or walking into the hotel. But there was Shaya, seated at the back of the bus reading a novel, seemingly unmoved. George transferred such coolness on to the football pitch. He was always composed and I don’t think he was ever shown a yellow card in his playing career. He was always composed and always seemed to be plotting how to tear the opposition apart. This earned him another nickname, “Master Mind”. This sounded more decent than “Matanyera” and has proved more popular to this day. And in 1973, in the Chibuku Cup second round replay, against the then Cup Kings Arcadia United Shaya’s coolness came to Dynamos’ rescue. Nothing had seemed to break the deadlock between these two local giants until Dynamos were awarded a penalty. The atmosphere was so tense and none of the Dynamos players was prepared to take the responsibility of taking the penalty. All eyes were fixed on “Master Mind” as he walked to the penalty spot to have a feel of the ball. The mighty roar that broke out as Stewart Gilbert, the Arcadia keeper, was sent the wrong way, was deafening. Because Shaya was so devastating and yet so cool, he got a lot of rough treatment from opponents. He would not retaliate, but his teammate, Ernest Kamba, took the responsibility to avenge on behalf of his friend. When comparing Shaya with later generation players, there is a mistaken idea that his opponents were limited to local players. Jomo Sono, the South African football icon at that time, will disagree. In an international showdown in 1976, Sono’s Orlando Pirates were walloped 4-1 by Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium. Orlando’s twogoal advantage from the first leg was wiped out enabling Dynamos to lift the Southern Africa Cup. As usual, Shaya was the destroyer. Everybody who watched this game played in torrential rain should still remember that cross by Shaya from a free kick which landed on the head of his player/coach, Shadreck Ngwenya, before settling at the back of the nets for the winner. In another outstanding international in 1969, Shaya left his mark in the then Lourenco Marques in Mozambique, when the Rhodesian national team battled with Australia in a World Cup knockout match. Rhodesia was knocked out. George Shaya, just like Pele and Diego Maradona, contributed so much to make football deserve to be called the “beautiful game”.