Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Robson Sharuko
27 February 2008
Harare — After a dozen weeks off the radar - for its traditional end-of-season retreat - domestic football returned to the soccer pitches of the capital on Sunday as fans in Harare got their chance to welcome the dawn of a new season.
The last time a local top-flight football game had been played in Harare was on December 4 - ironically at Gwanzura - on a rainswept afternoon when Dynamos were officially crowned the champions of Zimbabwe. As delirious DeMbare fans sang and danced in the rain - celebrating the end of their lengthy 10-year wait for the league championship - it marked the end of a season in which their team got due rewards for its gallant efforts.
When the last of those fans finally left Gwanzura that day, it drained life out of the old stadium and - for the next 12 weeks - it quickly turned into a ghost facility abandoned by the partners who bring it to life. On Sunday life and colour finally returned to Gwanzura as the fans in the capital trooped back to the stadium for an occasion that effectively marked the beginning of the new season.
The occasion was the second leg of the Nestle Champion of Champions Charity Shield - a sequel to the original battle between Highlanders and Dynamos at Barbourfields two weeks ago which ended in a stalemate. And just like the last time Gwanzura had opened its gates to the fans in December, there was another trophy for the Dynamos family, this time around as a Benjamin Marere goal gave them the Charity Shield on a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.
But the game never rose to the expected heights - a big yawn that was so boring the only surprise was that there was still a big crowd by the time that the referee decided it was time to end our nightmare. The performance of blundering referee Christopher Manuel was so diabolical the only surprise was that the police did not charge him for a performance deliberately aimed at creating alarm and despondency and thereby torching public violence. The quality of the pitch was such a shocker the only surprise was that the police did not arrest the Harare City Council employees - who collected $67 billion from the gate-takings - for what was apparently a fraudulent activity.
How do you charge $67 billion for such a winter wheat field disguised as a football pitch? But every cloud, though, has its silver lining. And amid the ruins at Gwanzura on Sunday, there were some success stories.
Nestle Zimbabwe
The company poured a record $190 billion into the Champion of Champions Charity Shield this season - a massive investment for a two-game tournament in an environment where the majority of corporate partners still shun an association with football.
The company flew Dynamos to Bulawayo for the first leg and flew Highlanders to Harare for the second leg -- guaranteeing both teams $12,5 billion in appearance fees that had nothing to do with winning or losing the contest. What this means is that there were no direct expenses incurred by the two giants to play in the Charity Shield and everything that they earned was a big bonus to them and their players.
You cannot fault the sponsor for a poor show on the field of play -- like the one that we saw on Sunday -- and neither can you blame the sponsor for the terrible state of the pitch like what we saw at Gwanzura. In contrast you end up sympathising with the sponsor, wondering whether they got the mileage that they deserved and -- in the event that they did not -- wondering about the wrong message that a game, desperately in need of such partners, might have sent to other potential suitors.
The sponsors -- in collaboration with the Premier Soccer League management committee -- deployed some Rotarians to man the gates and there was a smooth flow of the fans at Gwanzura as they made their way into the stadium. The way the sponsors branded the stadium was beautiful and the sight of guests in the VVIP Enclosure being served with a free cup of coffee during the match was refreshing and brought our game closer to what is happening in other parts of the world.
The kit used by both Dynamos and Highlanders in both games -- provided by the sponsor -- was a genuine Adidas strip and, in a league in which we have seen some funny brands, this was a welcome departure from mediocrity. The names on the jerseys -- save for Justice Majabvi who had originally been excluded from the Dynamos team for this tournament -- were clear. There were no stickers or bandages, disguised as name tags, for this final -- something that we have seen with alarming regularity in the Premiership over the past two years.
When Dynamos were crowned league champions at the same stadium two months ago, there was no public address system to spice the occasion with music as the fans celebrated their team's victorious hour. On Sunday the organisers made sure a public address system was in place and there was music to liven the occasion as the dancing and singing started once the match had come to an end.
Even Doctor Zobha was there to provide his special dish of unique entertainment.
Farai Munetsi
The Nestle Zimbabwe financial director is a genuine football man and his confidence, to invest in a field that many local company directors have ignored, should be applauded.
Always there with his team, especially Christine Chikwaiti and Sizile Nyathi, in the trenches just to make sure that everything goes according to plan - from Bulawayo right back to Harare -- Munetsi was the heartbeat of his company's drive to make this tournament a success.
Doctor Zobha
He came in an all-white garment - a refreshing smart outfit to that overall in which he built his identity and made his name.
Choosing white also made him look very neutral - given that the colour of his original outfit would have given the impression that he was from the DeMbare side. Of course, Bosso had a predominantly white kit but the black spots showed this team's true colours and distinguished this kit from Dr Zobha's religious all-white outfit.
The good doctor's dancing skills were paraded on the pitch during the presentation ceremony as he joined the DeMbare players celebrating another silverware - the only time his neutrality became questionable that afternoon. But this was certainly a good show for the doctor and probably worth the prize for bringing him to the capital to illuminate the occasion. There is something special about Dr Zobha and whether you like him or hate him is totally irrelevant because -- one thing for sure -- is that you can't ignore him.
The Vision
It's not every year that we get football tournaments that are structured with the ultimate aim of raising funds for the less privileged members of our society.
The Nestle Charity Shield -- while setting the stage for a showdown between the two best teams in the country the previous season -- is a refreshing vehicle for raising funds for the charities of our society. Bosso might have lost the game on Sunday but they know that the bigger picture is they played their full part in helping some Zimbabweans who badly need that helping hand.
Yes, there was a winning team over two legs but both sides deserve to feel proud of the part they played in helping someone out there whose life would be changed by the funds raised in both matches.
Benjamin Marere
The new Dynamos recruit was an island of productivity down the right side of the attack in an ocean dominated by sterility when virtually everything that was supposed to have gone wrong on the field of play did not go right.
Playing with growing confidence as the game wore on, Marere reduced an experienced defender like Herbert Dick into a spectator as his magical runs overwhelmed the veteran player. Occupying the void created by Edward Sadomba's protracted contract talks which kept the winger out of the Dynamos team until Sunday's game, Marere had a fine home debut in front of his new fans. Given his overall show, and that he scored the winning goal, he probably deserved the man-of-the-match award at Gwanzura on Sunday.
But news that has been filtering through that Marere's agents are a group of practising sports journalists -- the very people who choose the man-of-the-match award winners -- probably takes away some of the glitter from that award.
For in such a scenario you can never take away the feeling from the other players that they are getting a raw deal because of association -- or the lack of it.
Jacob Muzokomba
The former Lancashire Steel forward was on his way to Dynamos until his agent decided that he should instead go south to Highlanders.
The stocky forward was at his irresistible best at Gwanzura on Sunday as he tried to provide the inspiration for Bosso to get an equaliser that would have sent the game into a penalty shootout. Outstanding throughout the afternoon - both with his skill and commitment - Muzokomba was a pillar of hope for the Bosso fans and it's a pity that his efforts were not complemented by his fellow forwards.
But he caught the eye of the neutrals and could make an impact this season.
Justice Majabvi
He appeared to have fallen out with the Dynamos fans - and officials - after deciding not to report for training for the new season because of a contractual dispute.
But the midfielder who led DeMbare to the league and cup double returned to his roots after a trial stint in South Africa and accepted the fact that his actions were not exemplary enough for him to keep the captain's armband. On Sunday at Gwanzura the reunion with the DeMbare fans was complete as Majabvi turned on an imperious show in central midfield.
Maybe everyone misunderstood Justice when we doubted his statement that his heart would always be with DeMbare -- no matter where his career took him to.
Methembe Ndlovu
He might have been angered by one or two blunders from the referee, but he was magnanimous in defeat at the hands of the old enemy.
His post-match comments, in which he said Dynamos have the strongest team in the Premiership and he was proud of the way that his boys gave DeMbare a run, was as professional as they come. He knows that the real battles are yet to begin and - because he is a good man - it's easy to wish Methembe all the luck when his team takes on Ferroviario of Mozambique in the Confederations Cup this weekend.
Partson Moyo
Just a week after being appointed the new Dynamos chairman, the stocky Moyo saw his team collect a trophy on Sunday. He also knows that the real battles are yet to begin but it's always good to start with a smile.
The fans
They paid $20 million for the cheapest ticket, came in numbers and made it a colourful atmosphere.
And even when the quality on the field deteriorated to unacceptable levels, we didn't hear them turning against their players by booing them. Even when Bosso appeared to be fighting a losing cause, their fans still kept urging them forward -- cheering every good move and hoping for the best. The supporters who came to Gwanzura on Sunday really deserve a pat on the back.
Pity they were not the Harare City Council because - given their commitment to football - they could have turned Gwanzura into a Theatre of Dreams with a lush green turf if they had been given the responsibility to manage the stadium.
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