Veronica Gwaze — When former Warriors goalkeeper Edmore "Zi-keeper" Sibanda made his way back to the pitch, donning the red and white of Yadah Stars last weekend, the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries-powered side heaved a sigh of relief in their dressing room.
Yadah had been thin in terms of depth as they were rocked by a FIFA transfer ban which meant they could not register new players locally and internationally until they had paid what they owed a Brazilian trio that had a brief flirtation with the club.
It got worse following the departure of Methius Kigonya and Tinotenda Takarinda, the two goalkeepers, who did duty for them last season.
As a result of their rocky start to the season, Yadah sit 14th on the 18-team Premiership log standings and have managed four out of a possible 15 points.
Veteran coach Ikabort Masocha had to make do without a reserve goalkeeper in the opening fixtures and only had George Munhupedzi to rely on.
Former Zimbabwe Number One, Sibanda had joined Yadah in the second half of last season, only as a goalkeepers' coach.
Sibanda had also appeared to have called time on his playing career having been also been a goalkeepers' coach at Eastern Region Division One outfit St Paul's Musami.
But Zi-Keeper as Sibanda is popularly know bounced back on the pitch, albeit, in a 1-0 losing cause for Yadah by GreenFuel in Chisumbanje.
Even as they lost the game, some Yadah fans took solace in seeing an experienced goalkeeper on the field to inspire their rebuilding team.
However, behind the towering confidence that Sibanda, a cheerleader, brings around the dressing room, also lies a fragile giant, still trying to shrug off some ghosts from his past.
For two years, Sibanda had literally ruled out any come back into action.
This was after he picked an injury that kept him in the Intensive Care Unit for weeks as he sought to recover, swollen brain tissues, a blind eye and a broken jaw.
He incurred the horrific injury in March 2022, while playing for Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), in South Africa.
"We were playing against Pretoria Callies and I had a nasty collision with a striker resulting in him hitting me on the eye with his knee before I passed out," recalls Sibanda.
"I remember waking up in intensive care after some days, I could not comprehend what had happened so even now I only have an account of what I was told.
"Waking up, my eye was patched up with bandages, I could not move my jaw which made me realise that this was a serious case and that may have been the last match I ever played."
He still has memories of how he broke down and felt shattered when doctors explained the severity of his injury.
At that point, he had to accept the situation and erase thoughts of ever playing football again.
While the emotional battle took its toll on him, financial constraints also crept in as hospital bills chewed up all his savings.
In an act of sportsmanship, his friends and fellow international footballers Nyasha Mushekwi, Marshal Munetsi amongst others stepped in to assist financially.
They took him to some of the expensive specialists for further medical attention.
"It is these specialists who discovered that my eye had not been severely damaged and that with time, I would be able to regain my eyesight . . . I felt some relief and hope again," he added.
Weeks later, Sibanda relocated back to his home in Mvuma where he stayed with his parents due to the delicate nature of his injury.
It took more than six months for him to be able to properly eat again and close to a year to partially regain his eyesight.
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PHD Ministries and Yadah founder Prophet Walter Magaya heard about Sibanda's plight and invited him to Harare.
That marked the beginning of Sibanda's gradual return to the playing trenches via the coaching duties.
"When I came to Yadah, I was just helping the goalkeepers and Magaya paid me just like the other coaches while giving me room to fully recover.
"Last week, I found my way back in between the sticks but the fear from back then still haunts me at times.
"My mother and wife are not in support of me playing again but this is my passion and I could not let an injury cut short my career, I want to retire at my own time.
"We (Yadah) are not in a bad position in the league, we need not panic because it is just a matter of time before we get into the groove".
This week, Sibanda will be back in action when Yadah host Premiership newboys Scottland at Rufaro on Saturday.
