Innocent Kurira, Zimpapers Sports Hub IT begins with a whisper, a name, a number, a question. Can Washington Navaya do what no Zimbabwean striker has done in 14 years? Can he, in this age of blunt forward lines and defensive mastery, chase down the legends Moses Chunga’s immortal 30, Norman Maroto’s celebrated 22? With seven goals in his first seven appearances for TelOne in the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, Navaya is no longer knocking on the door of greatness he’s taken a firm step inside. Zimbabwean football, so often starved of prolific finishers in recent years, may finally have a striker daring enough to defy the norms, to dream big, and, crucially, to deliver. At a time when most Golden Boots have been won with goal tallies that barely cross double digits, Navaya’s scoring streak feels like a throwback, a revival of the pure, unrelenting centre forward. His name now echoes in the same breath as the greats, not as a hopeful comparison, but as a genuine threat to their long-standing records. And yet, it’s not just about the numbers. It’s about what they represent. The last man to cross the 20-goal threshold in Zimbabwe’s top-flight was the late Norman Maroto, whose 22 goals for Gunners in 2010 remain the PSL’s highest return in the last decade-and-a-half. Since then, prolific goal-scoring has been elusive. Nelson Mazivisa’s 18 goals in 2012 came close. Tendai Ndoro matched the feat in 2013. Dominic Chungwa (17 in 2018), William Manondo (17 in 2022), and Lynoth Chikuhwa (17 in 2023) all flirted with greatness but fell just short. Even these impressive efforts pale when placed alongside the iconic tallies of yesteryear, Zenzo Moyo’s 22 goals for Highlanders in 2000, or Alois Bunjira’s ridiculous 23-goal burst for CAPS United in just half a season back in 1996. And, of course, the gold standard remains Moses “Bambo” Chunga, the mercurial Dynamos legend whose record 30 league goals and 16 in cup competitions during the 1986 season have endured the test of time like scripture etched in granite. That year, Chunga not only won the Soccer Star of the Year award, but did so with a goal-a-game rhythm that included 10 braces and three hat-tricks. His name is no longer just part of football lore, it is the measuring stick. Navaya’s resurgence has been central to TelOne’s early season spark. The striker, who stands at 1.81m with a deceptively awkward yet effective frame, has terrorised defenders with his timing, his instinct, and his hunger. After previously turning out for TelOne during their 2019 top-flight campaign, Navaya left following the club’s relegation, finding a brief home at Highlanders. But with the Wi-Fi Boys now back in the PSL, Navaya returned this time with a mission. Under the stewardship of coach Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa, TelOne are a team transformed. Smart off-season acquisitions including ex-Dynamos skipper Frank Makarati, former Ngezi Platinum midfielder Bruno Mtigo, as well as forwards Gerald Bero and Tawanda Macheke have added steel and experience to the spine of the team. Maruwa’s men currently sit fifth on the log with 11 points, just ahead of Highlanders, who they host this afternoon at Ascot Stadium in what promises to be one of the matches of the weekend. Navaya, now widely regarded as the form striker in the league, was recently named Player of the Month for March by both the Premier Soccer League and the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ). With a striker in such form, every game TelOne plays feels like another page in a story that could become legend. Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu is under no illusions about the task at hand this afternoon. “He has been in top form and is enjoying his football, scoring in almost every match,” said Kaindu. “But I believe our defence has what it takes to stop him.” Highlanders have kept things tight defensively this season, but they now face their biggest test yet halting a striker with the wind at his back and the eyes of a nation upon him. Navaya’s goal tally stands head and shoulders above the rest. Simba Bhora’s Isakar Guribab trails with four, while a handful of others including Ronald Chitiyo (GreenFuel), Brighton Ncube (Highlanders), Billy Veremu (MWOS), Charles Teguru (Manica Diamonds), Francis Mustafa (Yadah), and Charles Munyanyi (ZPC Kariba) have three goals apiece. Claude Mapoka’s recent strike marked the 100th goal of the 2025 season, a reminder of the attacking flavour characterising this campaign. But it’s Navaya’s consistent impact that truly defines the narrative. Clive Augusto, in 2019, seemed destined to break barriers after racing to 14 goals before a mid-season move abroad. He still won the Golden Boot no one could catch him. Takunda Benhura needed just 13 goals to win the crown in 2023. In the years before that, Manondo’s 17 remains the highest tally since football returned from the pandemic. The bar has fallen and Navaya now has a chance to raise it again. Castle Lager PSL fixtures Saturday: TelOne v Highlanders (Ascot Stadium), Bikita Minerals v Ngezi Platinum (Gibbo Stadium), Yadah v CAPS United (Rufaro Stadium), FC Platinum v Triangle (Mandava Stadium), ZPC Kariba v Scottland FC (Nyamhunga Stadium), Simba Bhora v MWOS, Manica Diamonds v Chicken Inn (Sakubva Stadium) Sunday: Dynamos v Kwekwe United (Rufaro Stadium) Live on ZTN Prime (DStv Channel 294): Catch Yadah vs CAPS United this afternoon, with build-up starting at 2:30pm. Witness the PSL’s finest as the race for glory and perhaps, goal-scoring immortality continues Live on ZTN Prime (DStv Channel 294).