Alex Samanyanga
Veteran goalkeeper and Warriors ex-goalkeeper Washington Arubi is proving that age is nothing but a number in South Africa.
Arubi was voted goalkeeper of the tournament in the just ended Nedbank Cup.
This was after he had guided his side Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) to lift the Nedbank Cup after beating 1-0 Chippa United in South Africa.
During the course of the tournament Arubi kept four clean sheets in five matches.
TTM won a whopping R7m in prize money and will be further rewarded with a place in the next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
At 35 years old, like wine Arubi is getting better with age.
Chippa coach Manqoba Mngqithi rated Arubi as the best goalkeeper in the South African Football.
“Washington really showed his quality. He was on top of his game, making outstanding saves when goals seem inevitable,” said Mngqithi.
Arubi heroics could be good news to Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic whose goalkeeping department have been questioned by soccer fans for lacking an experienced shot stopper.
Last week, Zifa named three goalkeepers for a world cup qualifier match against South Africa which was later cancelled and postponed to September by CAF.
Loga had picked Ariel Sibanda who plays for local side Highlanders, Talbert Shumba(Zambia) and Martin Maphisa (Spain).
Arubi can bring the much needed experience in the international arena and provide cover for the first choice goalkeeper Talbert Shumba.
In 2011 Arubi, playing for Dynamos, became the third goalkeeper to clinch the Soccer star of the year award in Zimbabwe after Japhet Mparutsa (1982) and Energy Murambadoro (2003).
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