IN the countdown to the big Castle Lager Premiership match between champions Simba Bhora and challengers Scottland we heard and read a number of conspiracy theories.
One of them was that this game was going to be "fixed" in favour of the visitors because both teams share the same flagship sponsor and their owners are close friends.
The conspiracy theorists said that since Simba Bhora have a league championship under their belt already, they would give Scottland a chance to try and also taste the glory that comes with being champions.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
It was all over social media in the countdown to the big game.
But, come Saturday, we saw a blood-and-thunder showdown in which both teams gave as much as they got in a fiery encounter that justified their spots at the top of the table.
The game ended goalless and some will say it was a fitting ending because they both created chances and, without the pressure which the occasion exerted on the players, either side could have won this match on another day.
Scottland had the better clear chances in the first half while the hosts, who were transformed after the introduction of the hardworking Donald Mudadi, had the better chances after the break.
The locals said it was the biggest crowd they have seen at Wadzanai since Simba were promoted into the domestic Premiership.
Thousands of Simba fans poured into their home ground and there were also thousands of Scottland fans who made the trip from Harare and helped create a carnival atmosphere.
Reports say the tickets allocated for the game ran out and there were hundreds of fans outside the stadium, who were trapped in long queues by the time the game started.
The Scottland pulling power is clearly evident because their last game, which they lost to Dynamos at Rufaro, also attracted a very big crowd.
In the end, football was the winner.
Scottland will feel hard done that they did not get their goal when Tymon Machope's header bounced beyond the goalline and was then cleared.
To be fair to the referee, who handled this big game very well, it was a tough call for him to make and without Goalline Technology, the match officials were in a difficult position to make the correct call.
They chose the reasonable one, to stay with the doubt, rather than commit themselves to give a goal and then have to deal with the consequences after it turns out that the ball didn't cross the line.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
However, the silence of the conspiracy theorists is deafening.
Had such a decision gone against Simba Bhora, we would have been bombarded with theories that the referee was paid to ensure that the visitors would not lose this game.
That's the tragedy that we have today.
It's okay to these theorists if it happens to one team and it's not okay if it happens to the other team.
