Kudakwashe Mahachi

Golden Arrows’ Zimbabwean international Kudakwashe Mahachi is relishing game-time – and the chance to prove his worth.

Sharpening Arrows’ attack

Golden Arrows midfielder Kudakwashe Mahachi has no trouble exciting crowds and drawing attention when he’s on the ball. And Mamelodi Sundowns did not hesitate to sign him during the 2014 African Nations Championship, which points to his qualities as an attacking midfielder. That he subsequently did not often feature for the Brazilians remains a mystery, however. Now, since moving on a season-long loan to Golden Arrows in September last year, Mahachi has shown all the qualities that attracted Sundowns to him in the first place. “I am really liking my time here at Arrows because I’m doing what I came here for, which is playing football,” says Mahachi, who started just seven matches at Sundowns last season, scoring a solitary goal. Since arriving at Arrows, the 22-year-old Zimbabwean international has already started ten matches, scoring three times, including a sweet finish in a 2-0 win against Orlando Pirates in October. “All l needed was a chance to showcase my talent with a team that would appreciate me for the kind of football I play. I needed game-time which is why I had to come here. I settled in well from the first day and I never struggled to get going with my teammates. “I could easily understand them from the languages they speak, and I was also familiar with most of them already. “The icing on the cake is that Arrows is traditionally a ball-playing club that likes to keep possession – I enjoy playing the ball so it makes for a perfect combination. Minus the facilities, size of the club and other things, Arrows is just the same as Sundowns in terms of playing football. We need to make sure we work as a unit to avoid being associated with relegation – we will be pushing for a top eight finish.” Mahachi argues that moving to Arrows is not a downgrade, nor does it mean he failed at Sundowns. “I came from Zimbabwe and went straight to a team with huge demands, big pressure and high expectations. I feel I did fairly well in my first season as I was in the team a number of times,” he says. “Sundowns is a club where you are not given a chance to make mistakes as there is always another equally capable – if not better – player waiting for his chance to play,” ‘Nkembe’ says. “So it is always about pressure there. After I wasn’t registered this season due to the foreign quota, I knew that coming to Arrows meant my priority would be to get my confidence back so that I can show what I am all about. At least at Arrows you can be given a chance to rectify your mistakes in the next game.” Mahachi is as recognisable for his colourful hairstyles as he is for his left foot on the pitch. “I am an attacking player who likes breaking down opposition defences and then scoring goals, if not providing assists ... it’s as simple as that,” he says. “Having had such an encouraging start at Arrows, the next step for me is to make sure that I improve my form, especially now that we are working under a different coach [Clinton Larsen] to the one we started the season under [Serame Letsoaka]. “What gives me hope is that I didn’t show much rust when I arrived here, despite having spent about three months not playing prior to that. “I can only continue working on my game so that other opportunities come.”