Archford Gutu

Archford Gutu
Personal information
Full name Archford Gutu
Date of birth (1993-08-05) 5 August 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Harare, Zimbabwe
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Sprouting Academy
2007–2008 Caps FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009 Shooting Stars
2009–2010 Ajax Cape Town 0 (0)
2010–2011 Dynamos Harare 21 (8)
2012–2015 Kalmar FF 27 (1)
2014–2015 → IFK Värnamo (loan) 37 (2)
2016–2017 CAPS United 13 (1)
2017–2018 IFK Värnamo 17 (0)
2019– Dynamos 15 (1)
International career‡
Zimbabwe U17 10 (7)
Zimbabwe U20 9 (4)
Zimbabwe U23 7 (2)
2009–2013 Zimbabwe 23 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 December 2021
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 November 2020

Archford Gutu (born August 5, 1993) is a Zimbabwean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Gutu is one of the few players to have played for both Dynamos Harare and CAPS United in Zimbabwe, and he has won championships with both teams: with Dynamos in 2011 and with Caps United in 2016. Between times Gutu played in Sweden for Kalmar FF and IFK Varnamo between 2012 and 2015. Internationally Gutu played for the Zimbabwe National Team at all levels. He is currently the director of Archford Gutu Football Academy in Zimbabwe.

Club career

Early career

Gutu joined South Africa's Ajax Cape Town in 2009 on a three-year deal, but failed to make a single appearance in the Premier Soccer League due to registration rules, because he was still a minor then. On September 1, 2010, he decided to terminate his contract with Ajax. [1]

Dynamos Harare

On September 25, 2010, Gutu returned to Zimbabwe and signed with Dynamos Harare.[2] He made his first appearance for Dynamos on November 4, 2010, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 win against Monomotapa United.[3] Gutu scored his first Dynamos goal in 2010 derby match against rivals Caps United in a BancABC Super8 Cup Final win and he was the man of the match. On February 28, 2011, he scored two goals in Dynamos' 3–2 victory over CAPS United in the Bob Super Cup Final. Dynamos went on to win double: the 2011 League title and the inaugural Mbada Diamonds Cup. During his stay at Dynamos, Gutu was one of the club's top players before signing for Kalmar FF in Sweden.

Kalmar FF

On September 20, 2011, Swedish club Kalmar FF confirmed that they had reached a deal with Dynamos Harare regarding Gutu, as of January 1, 2012, he would go on a six-month loan to Kalmar with Pape Diouf from Dakar UC, Senegal.[4] On March 14, 2012, Kalmar FF announced that they had decided to purchase both Gutu and Diouf before Allsvenskan had started, on a four-year deal[5] Archford Gutu is the first Zimbabwean professional footballer to play in Sweden.[citation needed]

International career

Youth teams

Gutu was capped by Zimbabwe at under-17, under-20, and under-23 levels.[6] He was part of the team that won the 2007 COSAFA Under-20 Cup in South Africa, following which he flew to Namibia to join and captain the Zimbabwe Under-17 team that won the 2007 COSAFA Under-17 Cup. In 2007, Gutu was among the Young Sportsmen of the Year nominees.

Senior team

Archford Gutu is currently the youngest Zimbabwe National Team player to ever make their debut, he made his debut at the age of 16.[citation needed] Gutu won the COSAFA Cup with [[Zimbabwe National Team as hosts in 2009 tournament. Gutu was part of Zimbabwe National Team squad that played 2011 African Nations Championship in Sudan. He scored in the second game of the group stages to help Zimbabwe beat Ghana, 1–0.[7]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 9 February 2011 Wad Madani Stadium  Ghana 1–0 Win 2011 African Nations Championship
1 9 September 2012 National Sports Stadium (Zimbabwe)  Angola 3–1 Win 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

References

  1. ^ "Homesick Gutu back in Zimbabwe". Kickoff.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Dynamos Bring in Fresh Talent". Thezimbabwean.co.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  3. ^ "De Mbare Rumble On: Dynamos 1 – 0 Monomotapa". Fcdynamos.com. Retrieved 4 November 2010. [dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Afrikansk landslagsduo till Kalmar FF" (in Swedish). kalmarff.se. 20 September 2011. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Archford och Papa stannar" (in Swedish). kalmarff.se. 14 March 2012. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Kalmar byter Brasilien mot Zimbabwe". fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). 25 July 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  7. ^ Kalfa, David (9 February 2011). "CHAN 2011 : Le Ghana au bord du gouffre". Radio France Internationale (in French). Retrieved 10 July 2024.