Mushekwi Emerges As The Golden Boot Award Winner In China
Former Zimbabwe Warriors forward Nyasha Mushekwi has emerged as the Chinese League One top scorer for the 2021 season.
The 34-year-old veteran forward wrapped up a successful season with Zhejiang Greentown in a 2-1 win against log leaders Wuhan Three Towns on Wednesday to finish the season on third position- a point behind second placed Meizhou Hakka who earned automatic promotion to the Chinese Super League alongside champions Three Towns on 79 points.
Mushekwi who was introduced in the 80th minutes of the game on Wednesday with the score tied at 1-all before the team won a penalty in the 87th minutes, played a pivotal role in Zhejiang Greentown’s success this season scoring 24 goals in 32 league matches.
Although they missed automatic promotion to the Chinese Super League, Zhejiang Greentown however qualified for the Chinese Super League promotional play-offs and still have a big chance of playing in the top flight league next season.
They will play a team that will finish 16th in the Chinese Super League for a place in the top flight league.
Mushekwi becomes the second player for both club and country to win the Chinese League One golden boot award after the late Brazilian forward Alex Chandre di Oliviera known as Tico who won it in 2006 with Zhejiang Greentown after scoring 16 goals to help them finish second and gaining promotion to the Chinese Super League.
Former Orlando Pirates forward Gilbert Mushangazhike was the first Zimbabwean to scoop the gong in 2007 playing for Jiangsu Shuntien in the Chinese league one.
Mushekwi is currently the league’s most successful goal scorer having scored 68 goals in 112 matches for both Dalian Yifang and Zhejiang- more than any other player to grace the league since its inception in 2004.
With his feat of 24 goals the former Caps United ace also broke the club record of most league goals scored by a player in a season and is tied on second place for the most goals in the league behind South Korean Ha Ty Kayun who won the golden boot after scoring 26 goals in 2015 for Changbaishan.
To put cherry on the sundae, Mushekwi is also shortlisted for the Chinese League One player of the year award.
