ZIMBABWEAN goalkeeper Washington Arubi has been nominated for the Nedbank Cup Player of the tournament.
The 35-year-old is the only Zimbabwean player to feature in South Africa’s Premiership end of season awards this year after helping rank outsiders Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila clinch the Nedbank Cup.
The former Dynamos man, however, missed out nomination to the DStv Premiership Goalkeeper of the Year despite having raked up eight clean sheets so far.
That category will be a battle featuring the Mamelodi Sundowns veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango, Sifiso Mlungwana of Golden Arrows and Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu).
The awards will take place on June 6 and will be broadcast live on the SuperSport PSL channel (202) and SABC.
Arubi was outstanding during the Nedbank tournament with four clean sheets from five games. He was the only Zimbabwean in the nominations that were unveiled this morning.
Arubi saved his team countless times, including saving vital spot kicks in two games, during the penalty shootout, as TTM marched to their first silverware.
The former Dynamos goalkeeper conceded only two goals in 510 minutes.
He started off his brilliant run when TTM beat his former paymasters, Supersport United, 1-0 in the Round of 32.
His goal was only breached when TTM drew 2-2 with Swallows, in the last 16, of the tourney.
However, he went on to play a starring role, stopping two spot kicks in the shootout lottery, to set up a 4-3 victory over Swallows.
Arubi kept another clean sheet, in the 2-0 win over Black Leopards, in the quarter-finals.
He then frustrated holders, and pre-tournament favourites, Sundowns, in the semi-finals with a string of top drawer saves.
The match statistics showed Sundowns had 12 shots at goal, and seven of them on target, yet they could not breach the goal for 120 minutes, thanks to Arubi’s athleticism.
The highlight of the match came during the spot kicks when he brilliantly dived to his right to block Hlompho Kekana’s firmly-struck spot-kick, to secure a shock 6-5 victory, at Loftus Versfeld.Arubi added another clean sheet in the final when TTM edged fellow relegation candidates Chippa United 1-0 to pocket the winners’ cheque of US$500 000 and secure a spot in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
Source: Herald
