CANADA: Goalkeeper Darlington Murasiranwa makes CPL return

By The Northern Tribune

Valour FC has moved quick to return to roster compliance following the departure of number two goalkeeper Jordan Tisseur, with former FC Edmonton goalkeeper Darlington Murasiranwa now stepping into the side.

The 22-year-old arrives on a contract which runs through to the end of the season and includes a club option for 2024 should he impress.

The move sees Murasiranwa wrap up a spell in League1 Ontario that saw him make sixteen appearances for mid-table side FC London, where he conceded 26 goals behind an admittingly leaky defence.

Valour’s newest recruit was born in Zimbabwe, but began his footballing career in South Africa with the Barca Juniors. He moved to Edmonton when he was 13 to reunite with his parents, splitting his time between the FC Edmonton and Vancouver Whitecaps academy systems before turning professional in Alberta.

The Eddies formally signed the youngster ahead of the 2021 CPL season, where he secured one clean sheet in six appearances. He was one of only two players retained for the club’s final season, with the 22-year-old featuring heavily in the latter half of the campaign. He tallied two clean sheets in fourteen appearances, and left for FC London with a second year of professional football under his belt.

He now returns to the professional level with opportunity knocking, though he faces a big challenge to dismount the big frame of Rayane Yesli, who kept Tisseur locked out of a starting opportunity.

“Darlington has a great chance to be in our environment and show what he’s all about. So far, he’s been good,” added Phillip Dos Santos to Ed Tait. “He has great character and a great personality. As a second goalkeeper on a team if you’re not bringing all the games what is it that you can bring to the locker room? He brings CPL experience and a good personality into the locker room and training.”

Murasiranwa is expected to feature on the team sheet tomorrow when Valour hosts Atletico Ottawa.

He isn’t the only former FC Edmonton goalkeeper to find his way back into Canada’s top flight, with Joseph Holliday currently on a developmental deal with Cavalry FC.