Nomination will boost my confidence - Kazapua
Brave Warriors and Chippa United goalkeeper Lloyd Kazapua described his 2023 Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) awards nomination as a welcome development.
The Warrior’s goalkeeper was nominated alongside Mamelodi Sundowns’ and Bafana Bafana’s goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, as well as Lawrence Mulenga of Power Dynamos and the Zambia national team.
Reacting to this nomination, Kazapua, who plays for the East London outfit, Chippa United said he didn’t expect to be nominated, especially with the current situation at his club, where he hasn’t been getting game time.
This season, he has only managed to represent his club three times: twice in the premier league and once in a league cup.
However, he said he welcomes the nod and believes it will assist him in regaining his confidence.
“I didn’t expect to be nominated at all; it was a pleasant surprise for me. I am grateful for this nomination, and it shows that my work is being monitored and acknowledged as well,” he said.
“All these things come at a time when things are not going well. I think this would also give me a good boost in my career at the moment,” he said.
According to Cosafa, his nomination came after his significant role in helping the Warriors secure qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations, especially in the two fixtures against Cameroon in March 2023 when he performed solidly.
He only conceded three goals in the five national team matches he played throughout the year. He was also the first choice at Chippa United the season before but then gave up the number one jersey to Nigerian Stanley Nwabali.
The Windhoek-born goalkeeper played 11 times during the 2021/22 season at the club level, during which he kept five clean sheets.
According to statistics from www.transfermarkt.com, in the 2022/23 season, he played 21 times, keeping six clean sheets.
Happening for the first time, the awards will honour players, coaches, and various other stakeholders in the game from the Southern region.
The award winners will be unveiled at a gala dinner on 19 April, as the event pays homage to the best performers, on and off the pitch, for 2023.