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Nakamba the catalyst for Aston Villa’s stunning victory

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BY PATRICK ROWE

BIRMINGHAM- The substitution of John McGinn for Marvelous Nakamba raised some eyebrows in Saturday’s game against Everton –it would prove to be an inspired decision.

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Marvelous Nakamba was substituted on in the 40 th minute due to John McGinn suffering from dizziness after he took a blow to the head.

McGinn is quite the attacking threat in this side and the decision to bring on a very defensive minded player like Nakamba caused some unrest in the crowd at the time.

Emiliano Buendia is capable of playing in centre midfield and offers a lot both going forward and defensively, so fans were perplexed when they saw Nakamba stripped off and ready to come on.

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He replaced Douglas Luiz in the holding midfielder role, and this then allowed the Brazilian to operate in the areas McGinn was previously roaming.

It was this change that ultimately proved to be the deciding factor in this tough fixture against Everton.

Nakamba possesses an innate ability to disrupt the opposition and it was no different in this game.

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He consistently broke the play up and halted any Everton player that came his way.

His defensive ability is never in question, what fans do have doubts about is his ability on the ball. In this game however, he seemingly put this issue to bed.

He had a pass completion rate of 95.2% after completing 20 passes.

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He looked confident and assured and his passing was crisp and direct to his teammates. Fans are often on edge when he has the ball but in this game he looked like a completely different player to the one that had struggled previously.

It was a welcome sight.

These passes weren’t just lateral or backwards either, he completed five passes to the final third which was the second highest number within the team, behind only Tyrone Mings.

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He did an excellent job of not providing his teammates with possession, but also progressing the team forward.

His role in pre-season hinted that Dean Smith would be asking more of him in this aspect.

It was trialled against Watford in the opening game and although his attempt was valiant, the overall performance of the side meant any outlook fans had on his performance was most likely dampened.

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As he acted as the anchor in midfield, it allowed Luiz to get forward with freedom he previously hasn’t had.

He set up Matty Cash for the opening goal and was influential throughout.

This wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the role that Nakamba played.

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There are of course still issues with Nakamba’s play.

Only two of the 20 passes he completed were with his right foot.

He is heavily left footed, and this lack of balance means the extra time he takes to shift the ball to his preferred foot either increases the likelihood he is dispossessed, or the momentum of the team is stunted.

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The Villa midfield also dominated throughout, and it isn’t these games that Nakamba’s ability is questioned.

It is the game’s where the opposition are pressing intensively and forcing errors where issues may arise for the Zimbabwe international.

As he acted as the anchor in midfield, it allowed Luiz to get forward with freedom he previous hasn’t had.

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He set up Matty Cash for the opening goal and was influential throughout.

This wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the role that Nakamba played.

There are of course still issues with Nakamba’s play.

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Only two of the 20 passes he completed were with his right foot.

He is heavily left footed, and this lack of balance means the extra time he takes to shift the ball to his preferred foot either increases the likelihood he is dispossessed, or the momentum of the team is stunted.

The Villa midfield also dominated throughout, and it isn’t these games that Nakamba’s ability is questioned.

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It is the game’s where the opposition are pressing intensively and forcing errors where issues may arise for the Zimbabwe international.

Regardless of these slight issues, it was an outstanding performance from Nakamba, and he was integral in this performance.

He will most likely see minutes in the League Cup fixture against Chelsea on Wednesday so this performance will hopefully give him a well-deserved confidence boost ahead of this. – Birmingham Mail

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In the community

Domestic violence takes a deadly turn: Hwange woman’s violent outburst lands her in jail

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BY STAFF REPORTER

A 19-year-old woman from Makwika Village has been sentenced by the Hwange Magistrate’s Court for domestic violence and assault after a violent incident occurred on June 2, 2025.

The court heard that the woman assaulted her husband after he confronted her over messages on her phone. She slapped him, grabbed his private parts, dragged him into the kitchen, and poured boiling water on his lower body, causing serious injuries.

A concerned neighbor who attempted to intervene was also burnt with boiling water on her chest and hospitalized.

The woman was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for domestic violence and 24 months imprisonment for assault. However, 12 months of the assault sentence were suspended for 5 years on condition of good behavior, and the remaining 24 months were suspended on condition of performing 630 hours of community service.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) has condemned the violent act, emphasizing that violence, whether in the home or community, is unacceptable.

“The law applies equally to all, and offenders will be held accountable,” said the NPAZ. “We encourage citizens to resolve disputes peacefully and report abuse immediately.”

 

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In the community

Teenager sentenced to 18 months for knife attack on minor

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BY WANDILE TSHUMA

The Bulawayo Regional Court recently sentenced a 19-year-old male from Nkayi’s Maphosa Village to 18 months imprisonment for attempted murder after a violent knife attack on a 15-year-old boy at Gwamayaya Business Centre.

Allegations are that on April 18, at approximately 23:00 hours, the offender entered a shop at the business centre, causing a commotion. When customers attempted to calm him down, he became aggressive and charged at the victim, stabbing him in the left side of the stomach with a knife.

The victim was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, while the offender was arrested and charged with attempted murder.

In court, the offender was convicted and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. However, six months of the sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour, while the remaining 12 months were suspended on condition that he performs 410 hours of community service.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) has condemned the violent act, urging young people to resolve conflicts peacefully and encouraging communities to play a role in early intervention.

“Violence is never the answer. Every life matters – walk away, don’t escalate,” said the NPAZ in a statement.

 

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Fastjet launches Bulawayo to Victoria Falls flights

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Fastjet Zimbabwe is set to expand its domestic route network with the introduction of flights from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, starting August 8.

The new route will operate four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

According to Nunurai Ndawana, spokesperson for Fastjet Zimbabwe, “The new Bulawayo to Victoria Falls flight strengthens our presence in Bulawayo and underscores our commitment to the development of tourism region.” Ndawana added, “Our four times a week flights will offer more travel opportunities and support both leisure and corporate travel between the two cities, reaffirming our position as a key airline partner in connecting the Matabeleland region.”

Vivian Ruwuya, Fastjet Zimbabwe’s Chief Commercial Officer, noted that “This has been a long time coming. We have been monitoring the development and traffic trends between the manufacturing city of Bulawayo and our tourism hub of Victoria Falls. The introduction of a scheduled service is a result of widespread consultative engagements and collaboration with key players in the industry.”

Fastjet Zimbabwe will deploy its Embraer fleet on the new route, offering customers a comfortable flight experience. The flight schedule is as follows:

– BUQ-VFA Flight FN8111: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, departing Bulawayo at 13:25 and arriving in Victoria Falls at 14:20.
– VFA-BUQ Flight FN8112: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, departing Victoria Falls at 14:50 and arriving in Bulawayo at 15:45.

 

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