Japhet Muparutsa – The Acrobatic Shortcat

By Lovemore Dube 6/10/2022

In 1963, two very significant things happened in the country’s most popular sport – football.

Dynamos FC the country’s most supported and most successful team was founded.

Japhet Mparutsa undoubtedly the country’s best ever goalkeeper was born, on 8 August.

Mparutsa grew up in Mbare and played street football and youth club action gave him a competitive edge in that he clocked good hours on the pitch before he could graduate through the Dynamos youth system.

His skills could not escape the Dynamos drag net and that saw him enlisted in the club’s junior development where he went through the age groups up to reserve side.

In 1980 at the age of 17 he was now ripe for first team action competing with Labani Kandi and Frank Mkanga who arrived from Ziscosteel.

He broke into a team teeming with great talent in the form of Kembo Chungas, Oliver Kateya, the Chidzambwa (Marimo) brothers, Misheck and Sunday, Kuda Muchemeyi, Shaw Handriade, David Kasambala, Alois Masuneyi, Licoln Mutàsa, July Sharara and David George.

In no time Mparutsa was on the national team radar, getting a call up for the Under 20s coached by Mick Poole and Lovemore Nyabeze.

He was in a fine class which had some of the best juniors who included Sebastian Chikwature, Takesure Maverengo, Thomas Sandram, Shaky Nyathi, Tapiwa Mudyambanje, David Zulu, Machona Sibanda and Madinda Ndlovu.

For three years he did duty for Dynamos, the senior national team and the Young Warriors taking over from Mkanga and Raphael Phiri while he would dislodge Lucky Dube at DeMbare.

Mparutsa wrote himself into football history books when he became the first goalkeeper to win the Soccer Star of the Year gong in 1982.

He won several medals in his stay at Dynamos with the top one the league title in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983.

He would again add another chapter to his collection, the 1984 league title with Black Rhinos making him the first player to win five consecutive championships in independent Zimbabwe.

By winning the league title, his Dynamos won the right to represent the country in the Champion of Champions Cup in Africa now known as the African Champions League.

He played across the width and breadth of Africa with Dynamos against teams like Lenare of Lesotho, AFC Leopards, Shooting Stars of Nigeria and JS Kabylie of Algeria as Hayinangozi made it eight wins, six draws and five losses in the first four sojourns into Africa soon after Independence.

In the national teams he played with two generations, some like David George, July Sharara, Sunday, Ephert Lungu, Misheck, Robert Godoka, Wonder Phiri, Max Tshuma, Tymon Mabaleka and Shaky Tauro – a generation that was either at the peak of their careers or twilight with most of their active years swallowed by international isolation because of Rhodesia’s suspension from Fifa in 1970.

He had his peers Stanley Ndunduma, Boy Ndlovu, Rahman Gumbo, Madinda, Samson Phiri, Mercedes Sibanda, Ernest Mutano, Machona, Moses Chunga,Ephraim Chawanda, Maverengo, Peter Nkomo, Mudyambanje, Toendepi Nyathi, Stix Mtizwa, Joel Shambo and Moses Chunga a group born between 1961-1966, a generation that stood tall from 1983-93 in national colours.

Sadly because of the straight knock out qualification processes during his career unlike group mini league today, Mparutsa who made a number of appearances on the Castle Lager calendar, was unable to parade his skills at the Afcon and World Cup finals.

Short, very agile and good distributor of the ball, Mparutsa saw off the last year’s of an illustrious career at Bloemfontein Celtics after a move there in 1991 following the lifting of the international isolation.

He dominated the number one position beating other capable goalies of his time Posani Sibanda, Mkanga, Phiri, Peter Nkomo, Langton Marizani, Weekly Mwale, John Sibanda, Nat Bismark, Pernell Mckop and Johannes Tshuma.

Another great attribute about this legend was great discipline on and off the field and sportsmanship.

Mparutsa after retiring moved to the United Kingdom and is into philanthropy work with his Japhet ShortCat Mparutsa Foundation.