Cuthbert Malajila

Cuthbert Malajila
Personal information
Full name Cuthbert Lifasi Malajila
Date of birth (1985-10-03) 3 October 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Rimuka, Kadoma, Zimbabwe
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10+12 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Black Leopards
Number 28
Youth career
Western Pirates
Young Swallows
2004 David Whitehead
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 Chapungu United 29 (25)
2007–2008 Highlanders 42 (16)
2008–2010 Dynamos 20 (27)
2010–2011 Club Africain 4 (0)
2011Al Akhdar (loan) (1)
2011 Dynamos (4)
2012–2013 Maritzburg United 41 (15)
2013–2019 Mamelodi Sundowns 64 (18)
2016–2017Bidvest Wits (loan) 25 (4)
2019– Black Leopards 4 (0)
International career
2008– Zimbabwe 31 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:22, 19 November 2019 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 March 2017

Cuthbert Malajila (3 October 1985 in Rimuka Kadoma, Mashonaland West) is a Zimbabwean footballer who plays as a forward for Premier Soccer League side Black Leopards in South Africa. He also plays for the Zimbabwe national football team.[1]

Career

Club

He started at Chapungu United[2] before moving in 2006 to Highlanders and then to Dynamos Harare. While playing for Highlanders, he scored a hat-trick in a match against Masvingo United, with Highlanders winning the match 4–0.[3] He won the Golden Boot in the top division of Zimbabwean football in 2007.[4]

Malajila had a trial at Belgian club Cercle Brugge, but it ended with the club declining to offer him a contract.[5] He returned to Zimbabwe and to Dynamos afterward, and stated that his focus would be on winning the Golden Boot and in helping his club.[6] He stated that his long-term dream was still on earning a transfer abroad. The striker left his native Zimbabwe in summer 2010 and signed a professional contract of 3 years with the Tunisian side Club Africain in August 2010.[7]

Malajila became the first Zimbabwean to play professional football in Libya after signing for First Division side Al Akhdar on a six-month loan.[8] On 22 January 2012, he completed a move to South African Premier Soccer League side Maritzburg United after the two parties agreed on a transfer fee for the player.[9] In July 2013, Malajila agreed to join Mamelodi Sundowns. He made his Sundowns debut in the following August against Bloemfontein Celtic and scored his first goal for the club in the same match.[1]

International

As of June 2016, Malajila has made 17 appearances for the Zimbabwe national team. His debut came in 2008 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup/2010 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea. He scored his first goal for Zimbabwe on his second cap against Namibia, also a 2010 qualifier.[1]

Career statistics

Club

As of 18 June 2016.[1]
Statistics
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental[c] Other[d] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Mamelodi Sundowns 2013–14[1] Premier Soccer League 22 6 1 0 2 0 0 0 25 6
2014–15[1] Premier Soccer League 26 10 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 34 10
2015–16[1] Premier Soccer League 13 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 1[e] 0 17 3
Total 61 18 8 1 6 0 0 0 1 0 76 19
Career total 61 18 8 1 6 0 0 0 1 0 76 19

  1. ^ Includes the Nedbank Cup
  2. ^ Includes the Telkom Knockout
  3. ^ Includes the CAF Champions League
  4. ^ Includes the MTN 8
  5. ^ One appearance in 2015 MTN 8

International

As of 18 June 2016.[1][10]
National team Year Apps Goals
Zimbabwe 2008 6 2
2009 5 4
2010 2 0
2011 2 0
2012 1 0
2013 3 1
2014 2 0
2015 2 1
2016 4 1
2017 3 0
Total 31 9

International goals

As of 18 June 2016. Scores and results list Zimbabwe's goal tally first.[1]
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 26 March 2008 Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana  Namibia 2–4 2–4 Friendly
2 12 October 2008 Sam Nujoma Stadium, Windhoek, Namibia  Namibia 2–4 2–4 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 17 October 2009 Rufaro Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe  Mauritius 1–0 3–0 2009 COSAFA Cup
4 2–0
5 19 October 2009 Rufaro Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe  Lesotho 1–0 2–2 2009 COSAFA Cup
6 1 November 2009 Rufaro Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe  Zambia 3–1 3–1 2009 COSAFA Cup
7 10 September 2013 Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa  South Africa 2–0 2–1 Friendly
8 13 June 2015 Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre, Malawi  Malawi 1–0 2–1 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
9 5 June 2016 National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe  Malawi 3–0 3–0 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Club

Club Africain
Dynamos
Mamelodi Sundowns

Bidvest Wits fc ( Premier soccer League) 1 2016/17 (Mtn cup ) 1 2016/2017

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Cuthbert Malajila profile". Soccerway. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  2. ^ "Cuthbert Malajila". Higherlanders FC Official Site. Archived from the original on 10 August 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Malajila hat-trick buries Masvingo". New Zimbabwe News. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  4. ^ "Malajila's Delight". Allafrica.com. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Malajila for Belgium Trials". Allafrica.com. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  6. ^ "Malajila's Big Dream". Allafrica.com. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  7. ^ "Foot: Malajila signe pour 3ans". Club Africain Official website. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  8. ^ "Malajila signs for Libyan club". newzimbabwe.com. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Malajila signs for Maritzburg United". newzimbabwe.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Malajila, Cuthbert". National Football Teams. Retrieved 6 March 2017.