Crunch Time ....

THE Premier Soccer League leadership are currently "in a state of confusion" as they don't know where to take the PSL Trophy for presentation on Sunday.

This Sunday sees the local Premiership in a unique or rather interesting situation in which two teams, Motor Action and Dynamos, are poised to win the league title.


The two are tied on 63 points with one round of matches to go and they are both facing two sides -- Lengthens and Black Mambas -- who are also eager to escape the dreaded chop on the last day of the season.

Motor Action, who are leading Dynamos at the top of the Premiership table by virtue of a superior goal difference, entertain Lengthens at home at Motor Action Sports Club on Sunday.

The same afternoon will see Dynamos taking on Black Mambas away at either Rufaro or Morris Depot.

And the PSL are scratching their heads, trying to figure out where to take the championship Trophy for presentation to the eventual winners.

Twine Phiri, the Premiership boss, said yesterday he is aware of the tricky situation they are in.

"It will be ideal to send the trophy to a particular venue for presentation, but it's exciting in that we do not know which team will win it.

"If we had money, we could have hired a helicopter that would be hovering with the trophy between the two venues.

"However, we will just keep the trophy at a neutral venue like the PSL offices and then go with it for presentation to the winners after the end of the games on Sunday," said Phiri.

Phiri said the PSL cannot afford to have the trophy at Motor Action Sports Club without attracting the ire of Dynamos.

Equally, it will be hard for the PSL to have the trophy at Morris Depot or Rufaro without Motor Action raising some questions if they lose the championship in this photofinish race.

The PSL called for fair play from all the teams as they want to jealously guard the sponsorship they have landed for next season.


Phiri yesterday revealed that the league has indeed secu-red a sponsor for next year and that the domestic game will finally be branded.

The CAPS United boss, however, chose to keep a very tight lid on the identity of the sponsors.

"We have secured a sponsor for next season but first of all we have to meet with the board of governors to brief them.

"Definitely we are going to have a sponsor for next year and we will unveil them when the right time comes," said Phiri.

The confirmation by Phiri that the league will have a sponsor next year comes as sweet music into the ears of local Premiership clubs, which have toiled for the past two years without a brand.

But while PSL are keeping a tight lid on the identity of their sponsors as they are still working on the finer details of the contract, it is understood that Econet Wireless, NetOne and Delta Beverages are the potential bankrollers of the league for next year.

But it's all calm in the Dynamos and Motor Action camps ahead of Sunday's crucial title deciders against Lengthens and Black Mambas and indicators are pointing to a bruising finish to the season for the teams involved in the fight for the championship and those fighting to survive relegation.

The Mighty Bulls will host unpredictable Lengthens at Motor Action Sports Club while Dynamos engage Black Mambas at Morris Depot on Sunday, although the match could be shifted to Rufaro.

There is everything to play for for the four clubs involved and with the script now heading towards the climax, no stone will be left unturned in their preparations for the D-Day matches.


But there was little to suggest that the two title contenders will relent on the final day and let slip their chances of landing the title while the two sides in the bottom half of the table will have to throw everything into the matches to survive relegation.

Dynamos goalkeeper Washington Arubi, who has been in good form this season, said the Glamour Boys are determined to win the title after bagging the other titles that were on offer this season.

DeMbare, however, face a drawback from the goal difference, which could take centre stage if both teams win or lose on Sunday, as they have plus 29 while their rivals enjoy a slight advantage with plus 32.

This means they need to win by many goals -- that is, they have to achieve a victory margin of four goals better than Motor Action, whatever the results of both matches.

"That is very possible but we only should not succumb to pressure. In football we should expect anything, but we shall try our best to get the goals and win," said Arubi.

Dynamos go into this match buoyed by the 10 goals they scored in their last three matches and will be hoping to continue with their fine form.

They beat CAPS United 3-2 in their last match to win the BancABC Sup8r Cup and were 4-0 victors over Douglas Warriors in the last league outing.

"Right now we are not putting ourselves under a lot of pressure so that we don't lose focus.

"Instead, we are concentrating on the match against Mambas and our supporters should back us in this because they are the 12th man on the field," he said.


The Mighty Bulls, who are chasing a historic league silverware, revealed yesterday that they were going about their business as they have been doing the whole season, as they prepare for their date with destiny after a brilliant showing in 2010.

Team captain Bekhimpilo Ncube said the Mighty Bulls are not ruffled and are enjoying calmness ahead of the crucial match.

"This is going to be a very important match for us because we want the title. But at the same time Lengthens want to survive relegation, which makes it competitive.

"But we are not putting ourselves under pressure because we are taking this match just like any other game that we have played in the Premiership this season.

"We have taken every game seriously this season and each outing was like a cup final for us and that's the same approach we have now," said Ncube.

The Warriors trialist has been inspirational in the Mighty Bulls' colours this season with his commendable industry in the midfield department.

He said the club owes much of their success this season to coach Joey Antipas and his assistants David George and Prince Matore.

Motor Action were fighting for survival at this stage last season and only one point helped them escape the dreaded relegation-promotion playoffs.

"We had a problem of continuity last season because we changed many coaches but the coming of Mafero (Antipas) and George changed our fortunes.

"These guys mean business. They helped us survive relegation and they have motivated us to continue with the same spirit into the new season.

"There has been stiff competition in the Premiership this season but at Motor Action we had set our motto this year which says we should work very hard all season.

"It makes me proud as captain of this team because Motor Action had never reached this stage in history. We are just hoping that we win the last game and lift the title," he said.

The Battle of the Buffet

Arsenal visit Old Trafford to take on a Manchester United side that are still unbeaten in the Premier League this season. Due to their unconvincing form, Sir Alex Ferguson's side have been dubbed 'The Crap Invincibles' in ironic homage to the Arsenal side that went the season unbeaten in 2003-04. However, six years ago, it was at Old Trafford that Arsenal's 49-game unbeaten run eventually came to an end in a poisonous game that became known as 'The Battle of the Buffet'.

Arsenal and Manchester United did not always settle their differences via the medium of food. In 1990, a more unforgiving era, boots and fists were the weapons of choice in a 21-man brawl - dubbed 'The Battle of Old Trafford' - that resulted in both clubs being deducted points by the Football Association. In the context of such a history of violence between two old foes, a mere abuse of catering facilities might seem trivial, farcical even.

But this was much more than just a storm in a soup bowl, or a pizza box. A 2-0 defeat on October 24, 2004, saw the Arsenal Invincibles surrender their proud record at the home of their great adversaries, and as melted cheese dripped from the face of Sir Alex Ferguson following a post-match food fight, Arsenal's veneer of impermeability also slipped away. This was the end of the brief reign of a truly great side that burned so, so brightly.

Surveying the depth of talent and strength of spirit within his squad during the 2002-03 season, Arsene Wenger first ventured the opinion that his side were capable of going an entire league season unbeaten - a feat that only Preston, in 1889, had achieved before. Doing so invited ridicule from the national press, but in the very next season, Arsenal did achieve immortality when winning 26 and drawing 12 of their 38 league games. It was a unique achievement in the modern era.

Arsenal also accomplished this feat in considerable style. With the deadly Thierry Henry at the peak of his powers, and ably supported by the refined, cerebral talents of Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp, the Gunners glided their way into the history books, and went on to surpass Nottingham Forest's 42-game unbeaten league record the following season when winning 4-1 away at Norwich on August 28, 2004. The great Brian Clough recognised the scale of the achievement, declaring, in his inimitable style that it was "nothing short of incredible". He added: "I'm loath to confess they could be as good as us. They are brilliant. It sticks in the craw a little bit because nobody likes Arsenal! Of course there's a Frenchman in charge, Wenger, and not many English people like Frenchmen."

Arsenal's next milestone was to bring up the unbeaten half-century, an honour usually reserved for practitioners of cricket, and fate decreed game 50 would come against a team that certainly subscribed to Clough's view of Arsenal's dubious popularity - Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United. This would not be a celebratory occasion.

Though the passage of time - coupled with the rise of Chelsea and Arsenal's subsequent decline - has since withered the rivalry between Ferguson and Wenger, to the extent that they now exist in a state of tenuous mutual appreciation, it should not be forgotten that at this juncture of Premier League history, theirs was a rivalry infused by intense dislike.

From Ferguson welcoming Wenger's arrival in the Premier League by declaring that "he's a novice - he should keep his opinions to Japanese football" to Wenger's infamous dig that "everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home" after winning the title in 2002, this was a grudge borne of intense competition. Ferguson and Wenger were the dominant figures in Premier League football, and their combative teams needed little encouragement to foster the feud on the pitch.

Indeed, just 12 months prior to their meeting in October 2004, the two clubs were involved in one of the most shameful incidents seen in the Premier League, with Arsenal the guilty party. In game eight of Arsenal's run of 49, a failed penalty from Ruud van Nistelrooy in the dying minutes of a 0-0 draw attracted a petulant reaction from the Arsenal team. Martin Keown, eyes wide in manic delight, leapt on the United striker, who was also assailed by Lauren.

The Arsenal squad had been angered by Van Nistelrooy's role in Patrick Vieira's previous dismissal, and the Football Association hammered the club for their distasteful act of vengeance. Arsenal were fined £175,00 for failing to control their players, while Lauren was banned for four games, Keown three, and one each for Ray Parlour and Vieira. This was the toxic context in which the events of 2004 took place, and the issue was given prominent billing in the build-up to the game in October.

Questioned about Arsenal's behaviour the previous year, Ferguson insisted prior to the game: "They got away with murder. What the Arsenal players did was the worst I have witnessed in sport." Wenger rose to the bait, replying: "Maybe it would be better if you have put us up against a wall and shot us all. I hope that he will calm down."

Any hopes for peace in our time on the day of the game were seriously misguided. In a tense and venomous atmosphere, the game exploded on 73 minutes when Wayne Rooney, on his 19th birthday, spotted an extended leg from Sol Campbell and fell to the ground. Arsenal were incensed - replays showed there was little to no contact - but Van Nistelrooy was handed a chance at redemption, and he warmly accepted when slotting the ball past Jens Lehmann. In the dying seconds, Rooney - who famously launched himself into the public consciousness with a stunning goal for Everton against the Gunners in 2002 - confirmed his status as Arsenal's bête noire with the goal that finally killed off the club's unbeaten record.

Having been brought to their knees at the home of their great rivals, their unbeaten run reduced to rubble, Arsenal were not ready to go quietly. What followed next is the stuff of legend, and no little mystery. After the two sides trooped off the pitch, with a bitter Campbell refusing to shake Rooney's hand, trouble erupted in the tunnel. In scenes befitting a fractious childrens' party, a food fight erupted, and Ferguson was cast in the role of an exhausted parent, his club suit becoming collateral damage in a war waged by petulant pre-teens.

Eager reporters, revelling in the farcical nature of the confrontation, debated the nature of the food that soiled Ferguson's suit, the Daily Telegraph opting for tomato soup and theDaily Mirror placing itself firmly in the pea camp. Of even more intrigue was the identity of the player who, with unerring aim, hurled a slice of pizza that smacked Ferguson square in the face. His identity still remains secret, though fingers have been pointed at Cesc Fabregas - a 17-year-old non-playing substitute on the day, who would display a similarly precocious appreciation of space and trajectory when he began to assume control of the Arsenal midfield over the coming months and seasons.

Though Fabregas has never been formally identified, Ashley Cole artfully reduced the number of possible subjects in his spectacularly misguided autobiography, My Defence. In 2006, Cole wrote: "This slice of pizza came flying over my head and hit Fergie straight in the mush. The slap echoed down the tunnel and everything stopped - the fighting, the yelling, everything. All eyes turned and all mouths gawped to see this pizza slip off that famous puce face and roll down his nice black suit. All I can say is that the culprit wasn't English or French, so that should narrow it down."

Though Wenger, typically, claimed "I haven't seen it" at the time, details of the fracas were also divulged by Ferguson in February 2005, as he embarked on a typically forthright dissection of his great rival. "In the tunnel Wenger was criticising my players, calling them cheats, so I told him to leave them alone and behave himself," Ferguson said. "He ran at me with hands raised saying, 'What do you want to do about it?' To not apologise for the behaviour of the players to another manager is unthinkable. It's a disgrace, but I don't expect Wenger to ever apologise - he's that type of person."

As well as turning his ire towards Ferguson in a wholly untypical way (and presumably with all the menace of a librarian reprimanding a noisy patron), Wenger had also levelled accusations at Van Nistelrooy that called into question the Dutch striker's professional attitude: "We know how Van Nistelrooy behaves. He can only cheat people - we know him very well." The match official would not escape his wrath either, as Wenger added: "[Mike] Riley decided the game, like we know he can do at Old Trafford. We were robbed. There was no contact at all for the penalty, even Rooney said so."

Wenger's outburst resulted in a verdict of improper conduct, while Van Nistelrooy pleaded guilty to "serious foul play" after video evidence emerged of a nasty foul on Ashley Cole. Punishment and blame was apportioned on both sides, and the fallout could have been more severe had the FA not ruled that a "dossier" of evidence submitted by United was inadmissible as it fell outside the governing body's 48-hour limit for reviewing incidents. It was believed United had detailed tackles from Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp that they felt were worthy of further scrutiny.

The intense rivalry was now simmering menacingly, and with a Carling Cup tie between the two clubs on the horizon on December 1, the FA sought to hold summit talks between both parties in order to end the feud. League Managers Association chief executive John Barnwell described the cup game as "a great opportunity to heal the wounds. If you don't face up to these issues then they can be allowed to fester". After David Dein sat down with his United counterpart David Gill at the end of October, the Arsenal vice-chairman insisted: "The clubs have spoken [again] at the highest level and agree the matter is now closed."

Arsenal lost 1-0 at Old Trafford in a battle of two reserve sides in the Carling Cup, but in the next proper meeting of the two teams, a league tie at Highbury on February 1, 2005, Dein's declaration that "the matter is now closed" was proved to be demonstrably false. Before the game had even kicked off, and in the tunnel again no less, Roy Keane went for Patrick Vieira after his long-time rival had attempted to intimidate Gary Neville, jabbing his finger menacingly at the Frenchman and declaring "I'll see you out there". In the fractious relationship between Vieira and Keane, Wenger and Ferguson, and Arsenal and Manchester United at that time, normal service had been resumed.

What happened next? Arsenal won the battle that season, defeating United in the FA Cup final, but lost the war. A great team died at Old Trafford, amid a hail of soup and pizza, as the psychological blow of surrendering their record to United lay heavy on an Arsenal side that would shed key performers in successive summers. While United claimed the league title in 2007, 2008 and 2009, Arsenal have not won a solitary trophy since that FA Cup, Vieira's last game for the club.

Soccer Stars 2010: a fiasco to forget - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People

Soccer Stars 2010: a fiasco to forget - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People

You Cant Criticise the World Cup and Still Expect to Host It

Richard Northedge


Yes, the media was partly responsible for England failing to host the 2018 World Cup. Not because of the BBC and Sunday Times accusations about Fifa, however, but because the media carping would continue. Why ask an unfriendly nation to host the football tournament when so many other countries would welcome it?



There was much wrong with Fifa’s decision-making but much wrong with the English bid too. Any company that has pitched for a major project would have to be much more businesslike to win. Export orders or domestic sales are not secured by arrogantly expecting to be chosen: they have to be worked for.


England’s case might have been good – but so was the opposition’s. Yet we acted like a job applicant who tells the interviewer when he can start rather than why he should.


The FA’s bid team complains it was misled by Fifa delegates who had pledged their votes, but that suggests the team knows little about selling and less about Fifa’s voting system. Any salesman pitching for orders soon learns not to celebrate when buyers congratulate them on having a good product – that is the sort of polite line buyers say to all the companies that pitch, but only one of the good products gets the order.


However, Fifa’s voting system genuinely allows delegates to vote for three teams. They keep on voting until one country has a majority of the votes, eliminating the weakest each time, but this is not the sort of single-transferable-vote system that elected Ed Miliband as UK Labour Party leader or on which the UK will hold a referendum on in 2011. Delegates hold a fresh vote in each round.


That’s why the Belgian/Dutch vote fell between first and second rounds.


So it was not just the two votes for England in the first round that were re-allocated to their second-choices in the next round, all 22 delegates voted afresh. That means a delegate could promise to vote for Belgium/Netherlands in the first round, England in the second and Russia if there was a third round. But because England went out immediately, countries pledging it their votes did not get a chance to honour their promise.


England also needs to rethink what constitutes bribery, corruption and inducements before it complains at other countries. Not only England’s handbags for wives are questionable: promising a friendly match in Thailand if the Thai delegate gave his vote – or top Olympic hotels in London for Fifa delegates – fail the test too.


But the British media must also be part of the reason for England’s rejection. Nevermind the specific allegations before the Fifa vote, look how the UK press keeps criticising the London Olympics, doubting the budget (correctly), questioning the popularity, carping about the economic benefits and complaining a bout the disruption. If the home press cannot back a bid, what chance support from the international media? If this is what a Sunday paper and television do before the Fifa vote, what would happen over the next eight years?


Why choose a country whose own media are so negative when there are other more compliant nations? Big sports events frequently go to developing countries because their governments pledge huge sums to raise their international profiles. That’s why Russia and Qatar bid so successfully. If those countries happen to have a positive media rather than one that knocks its own tournament, wouldn’t any rational Fifa delegate chose such a nation as host?

The World Cup Host Decision: 22 Men Deciding For Billions

Who should host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup Tourney?


Its very difficult to predict who the FIFA Select Committee will eventually settle on, but I am a fan of the underdogs. If it was up to me, I would pick Russia for 2018 and Qatar for 2022. Why? Simply because they have never hosted before. Furthermore, although it is reported England scored higher marks when FIFA assessed the bids, I feel there is more government commitment from Russia, and besides, FIFA has always trumpeted this tune of taking the game to new territories, and Russia, like the USA, is very virgin territory in as far s the game is concerned.

We could say the same about the Qatar, but being from the third world myself, I am more attracted by the technology they are talking about, and how it can benefit me and my kith and kin down this side. Think of World Cup stadiums being folded after use and shipped to the third world? Thats what you do when you got oil money. Of course the Japanese are also talking about giant screens in more than 400 stadiums across the world that would literally bring the World Cup into my beloved National Sports Stadium but then again, its less than ten years ago when we were watching from Japan, so I would ask them to pass.

But now here is the sad part, no matter what I think and my claim that I could probably rank as one of the top 100 most football passionate people in the world, this will not matter when Sepp Blatter eventually announces the decision tomorrow around 5PM Zim time. I am probably more passionate about the game than half of the 22 men that are going to make this multi-billion dollar decision, bringing into question the FIFA ways of handling football matters. There is just too much politics involved to expect the decision to be about the good of the game.

The first question is why should the World Cup decision be made by a handful of old men, some of whom if media reports and their past decisions are anything to go by, are so prone to corruption they could sell their birthright? Surely, the electorate should be much larger and more diverse. Pedro Pinto of CNN says, about our beloved voters, "They have built such intertwined personal relationships that in many ways they are as familiar as a family. But does this mean they have lost the ability to to be objective when it comes to dealing with the many people they know well-connected to the countries that are bidding to host the tournament?"

I say yes, they are contaminated!

Right now you have got, from England, David Beckham, Prime Minister David Cameroon and Royalty in the form of Prince William in Zurich mixing and mingling with these voters of ours. Bill Clinton is part of the American bid team, and all sorts of mega millionaire television and football starts are abound, campaigning for their favorite countries. Its all good and I may not know with certainty what goes on there, but surely thats a recipe for disaster. What are the chances that the voters are being subjected to some "charismatic" pressure and getting all sorts of promises if they ensured the vote goes a certain way?

What about the allegations of corruption that have marred the run up to the decision. The England bidding team has accused national broadcaster the BBC for being unpatriotic simply because they decided to let out certain allegations of corruption about some of the voters days before the voting. Why are they panicking? Because that story affects a few of the voters, and is capable of contaminating all of them, hence they fear a backlash through the ballot. On the other hand, it could a clever British ploy to way lay the world, especially if you listen to the recent statements about the voters, coming from the likes of Beckham.

But would these same concerns be there if all FIFA members had a representative voting, and accusations were leveled against 3 out of a multitude of voters? Not many would care, hey? It would have been a different scenario. Right now, the group of voters will likely act collectively. They have a very strong network, which they would want to protect, and will "punish" those who want to ruffle their feathers. On the flip side, they may want to be seen to be "clean", and vote against those countries that have been smeared for offering bribes or colluding, even though they could have voted for them on merit. It has just been so jumbled up, I have lost confidence.

Pinto goes on to suggest changes to the voting system, which I agree will make FIFA a bit more democratic:

The hosts should be decided in the following manner:

- Every one of FIFA's 208 member associations should have a representative to take part in the voting.

- The reps should vote in only one World Cup host ballot (and please do away with deciding the venue for 2 World Cups at one go. 4 years is a long time, and so much can change).

- All members must vote at the same place, same time.

This will help open up the process, and give the decision power to more people than just the Charlie Dempseys (remember the guy who didn't vote for SA) of this world. This spreads the voting powers among many and makes it more difficult for the potential hosts to bribe, seek collusion or put pressure of the voters.

You and I are the staunchest followers of this game, and it will be daydreaming to think that we could participate in such decisions (but with technology, lets start pursuing opportunities for worldwide electronic vote, after all we are already voting for the African Footballer of the Year through BBC aren't we?), but we need assurance that the hosts of the World Cup are chosen on merit, and not because someone got paid. The hosting decision is a major decision. The World Cup is a big issue. Billions of tax payer's money are going into preparing the bids and building stadiums to get countries prepared, and it will be treasonous to have the host being decided on any other reason other than FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME.

DeMbare Penalty Blues

Harare giants Dynamos let a massive chance to take over the leadership of the local Premier Soccer League (PSL) slip by falling to Champions Gunners in lively match up at Rufaro, over the weekend. Gunners won the match 1 - 0, courtesy of a third minute strike by midfielder David Redhiyoni. Despite playing way below par, DeMbare had a perfect chance to at least get a point and draw level on points with leaders Motor Action when they were awarded a 61st minute penalty, but goalkeeper Washington Arubi put the ball wide, to leave DeMbare still trailing the Mighty Bulls by one point, having played the same number of games. Now,

Dynamos are faced with a situation where they require other sides, interesting including bitter rivals Highlanders and Caps United, to do them a favour to stop the Mighty Bulls’ march towards their maiden league championship. What will however be disgusting to many DeMbare followers is the fact that Dynamos had the chances to firmly put the destiny of the Championship within their hands, and failure by their players to hold the nerve and convert spot kicks, might turn out to be one of their biggest undoing.

Arubi’s penalty miss was the third by a Dynamos player since October. For a side whose penalty awards are always viewed with suspicion by their rivals, who feel that the multitudes that follow the Mbare side always put referees under pressure to award them spot kicks, DeMbare players must know better than to bury such chances when they come their way. In their last match, DeMbare needed the nerves of referee Ruzive Ruzive to order a retake of Murape Murape’s penalty, to ensure maximum points against the Mighty Bulls. Murape had put his effort wide, but the referee adjudged that Motor Action players were encroaching into the penalty area against the rules of the game, and ordered a retake. Up stepped Arubi to draw DeMbare to within a point of the Eric Rosen owned side. However, the Zimbabwe International goalkeeper could not repeat his feat against Gunners’ Tafadzwa Dube, as he put his effort wide, much to the chagrin of those occupying Vietnam Stand.

It is interesting though to note that at the beginning of the season, defender Guthrie Zhokinyu took responsibility for all of Dynamos’ spot kicks, until the game against Hwange at Rufaro Stadium in October. DeMbare again went on to lose the game 1 – 0, dropping more points which they may live to regret come end of the season. Zhokinyu missed a controversial penalty, taken after Hwange players had threatened to walk off the pitch protesting against the penalty award, given after midfielder Wonder Sithole had tumbled in the box. Zhokinyu might have later wished that Chipangano had gone ahead with their actions, as they were likely to result in the abandonment of the match and possibly awarding of points to DeMbare.

After the Zhokinyu miss, striker Evans Gwekwerere was entrusted with the penalty taking job, but even he found the going tough. Eagles goalkeeper Samuel Mafukidze dived to his right to save his effort in another league match at Rufaro, restricting Dynamos to a painful 1-1 draw – a case of 2 points lost than 1 gained. Gwekwerere was immediately sidelined from the penalty taking duties, and veteran Murape Murape came to the scene. Murape’s first chance at glory was going to be in the volatile top of the table clash against the Mighty Bulls. Having missed a seater a week earlier against bitter rivals Caps United in open play a game earlier, Murape sought to endear himself with the DeMbare faithful with the goal that was to dehorn their foes to the throne. Again, the penalty blues stuck with him. He missed, only for Ruzive and Arubi to save his day.

Missing so many penalties in the twilight of the season is likely to see Dynamos paying heavily. All, but one of the penalty misses so far have been the difference between collecting points or walking off empty handed for DeMbare. It remains to be seen whether they will regret the misses come end of season. Some circles have started suggesting that this is the effect of not having Sports Psychologists in the Zimbabwean premiership, which then sees the players failing to hold their nerve in the midst of the multitudes’ expectations. Arubi has been one of the most loved Dynamos players this season, with some stellar performances that have often earned him instant cash rewards from the Dynamos followers. His miss over the weekend might have however meted instant justice on his side’s title aspirations, turning him from a hero to villain.

Other pundits claimed that senior players at Dynamos intimidate others, hence the nerves seen on the pitch. One wonders if that is the reason for the constant change of penalty takers. Missing a penalty is common in football, but sometimes there is no better sign of confidence in a player by his teammates or coach than to ask him to take the next one. There seems to be no second chances at Dynamos. Zhokinyu scored more than 4 penalties for Dynamos from the beginning of the season, but was immediately stripped of the responsibility the day he missed the first one. Was that the right strategy? A most recent exhibition of how best to deal with a penalty miss was in the recent World Cup second round match between Ghana and Uruguay. Although he missed probably the most important of his entire career, Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan’s teammates showed a lot of belief in him, which he repaid with lots of composure when he led his teammates in the penalty shootout. Such chances don’t seem to exist at DeMbare, and one wonders who will be brave enough to step up, if they do get a penalty against Kiglon Bird tomorrow.

50 Facts About Diego

1. Diego Armando Maradona was born on October 30, 1960 on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

2. Maradona made 91 appearances for Argentina, scoring 34 goals.

3. He played in four World Cup tournaments for his country.

4. He helped Boca Juniors to the League championship in 1982 before making a move to Barcelona. But in 1984, he transferred to Napoli and helped them win their only two Serie A titles to date – in 1987 and 1990.

5. Maradona holds the record for making the most number of appearances as captain of any country in a World Cup. He skippered Argentina on 16 occasions.

6. In total, however, he made 21 appearances in World Cup tournaments.

7. A 15-year-old Maradona made his professional debut on October 20, 1976 for Argentinos Juniors.

8. Maradona was part of the Argentina youth squad that won the 1979 Youth World Cup in Japan.

9. On February 27, 1977, a 16-year old Maradona made his international debut against Hungary at the Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires.

10. He has a tattoo of Che Guevara on his arm.

11. Maradona holds the record for suffering the most number of fouls in a World Cup – 53, during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

12. He also holds the record for the most number of fouls suffered in one game in a World Cup, when Italy fouled him 23 times in the 1982 edition of the tournament.

13. Maradona skippered Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, beating West Germany 3-2 in the Final.

14. He also won the Golden Ball for being the tournament's outstanding player.

15. Diego scored using his hand in the quarter-final of the 1986 World Cup against England. When he was quizzed about the incident, he said: “The goal was scored a little bit by the Hand of God, a little by the head of Maradona.”

16. He won the Serie A with Napoli in 1987, a feat that would be repeated in 1990. He also won the Uefa Cup in 1989.

17. In the 1994 World Cup in USA, Maradona played only two games – scoring one goal against Greece – as he was sent home after failing a doping test.

18. Maradona married Claudia Villafane on November 7, 1989 in Buenos Aires, but the pair divorced in 2004.

19. In 2005, Maradona started hosting a talk show on Argentinian television. Pelé was his main guest on his very first show.

20. He was confirmed as the manager of Argentina in October 2008.

21. During his reign as manager, Argentina equalled their worst ever defeat by losing 6-1 to Bolivia in the World Cup qualifiers. This led to Maradona taking a fair amount of criticism. And when his side did qualify for the tournament, this is what he had to say: “To those who did not believe: now suck my d**k – I'm sorry ladies for my words – and keep on sucking it. I am either white or black. I will never be grey in my life. You treated me as you did. Now keep on sucking d**ks. I am grateful to my players and to the Argentinian people. I thank no one but them. The rest, keep on sucking d**ks.” Fifa banned him for two months after the outburst.

22. Maradona’s managerial debut for Argentina was on November 19, 2008. On that day, his side took on Scotland at Hampden Park and emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline.

23. On June 22, 2010, Maradona said of the Jabulani ball: "I would ask all Fifa directors to stop talking about me and to start working on having a proper football. This ball is useless. It's impossible to control.”

24. In a press conference prior to the first knockout round in the 2010 World Cup, Maradona jumped over the barrier to embrace former Napoli team-mate Salvatore Bagni, a footballer turned pundit. Following the gregarious greeting, Bagni said: “Even knowing him as I have done all these years, Diego always does something to surprise you.”

25. Maradona vehemently defended a goalless Lionel Messi on July 2, 2010 when he said: “Anyone saying he didn't have a great World Cup is an idiot.”

26. Former team-mate Jorge Valdano said of him in 2006: “He is someone many people want to emulate, a controversial figure, loved, hated, who stirs great upheaval, especially in Argentina... Stressing his personal life is a mistake. Maradona has no peers inside the pitch, but he has turned his life into a show, and is now living a personal ordeal that should not be imitated.”

27. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) put in a request to Fifa to retire the No10 shirt in honour of Maradona. The request was denied.

28. Argentinos Juniors have named their stadium after Maradona – Estadio Diego Armando Maradona.

29. Maradona after beating England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final: “It was as if we had beaten a country, more than just a football team.”

30. Maradona in 1996: “I was, I am and I always will be a drug addict. A person who gets involved in drugs has to fight it every day.”

31. In 2000, Fifa decided to do a one-off Player of the Century award for the new millennium. After eventually arriving at the decision that Pelé and Maradona would share the award, the Brazilian said: “If he thinks he's the best player of the century that's his problem.”

32. Asked once to name his starting XI in 1990, Argentina manager Carlos Bilardo famously said: “Maradona and ten others.”

33. Maradona was appointed the sports vice-president of Boca Juniors in 2005. He quit a year later.

34. Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica has made a documentary about Maradona, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008.

35. In 1986, former England manager Sir Bobby Robson famously said: “With Maradona, Arsenal could have won the World Cup.”

36. Ex-England defender Phil Neal said of an 18-year-old Maradona in 1978: “The kid is just unbelievable – he is the best I have ever seen.”

37. Fans started a ‘Church of Maradona’ in Buenos Aires in 1998. The year is marked by Maradona’s birthday every year. October 30, 2010 is 50 DD [“despues de Diego”]," or ‘After Diego’.

38. Maradona’s second goal against England – which came just four minutes after the ‘Hand of God’ – in the quarter-final of the World Cup in 1986, saw the diminutive footballer dribble past opposition defenders to eventually beat Peter Shilton to make the score 2-0. Fifa called this the Goal of the Century.

39. Maradona has a lookalike puppet in the French show ‘Les guignols de l'info’.

40. He is good friends with Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

41. Maradona had to leave Napoli in 1991 after failing a drug test for cocaine.

42. The Argentine refused to go into the opening ceremony of the 2006 World Cup in Germany, saying: “I'm not here to look at bloody Pelé walking around.”

43. In an ongoing war of words with the Brazilian this year, Pelé said during Maradona’s reign as national team boss: “But it isn't Maradona's fault. It is the fault of whoever put him in charge.” The Argentine hit back later, saying: “Pele should go back to the museum. And stay there.”

44. Italian officials revealed last year that Maradona owes them €37-million. More than half this sum is interest on the original debt.

45. Maradona averaged 0.526 goals-per-game in domestic club competitions.

46. He is the third highest goalscorer for Argentina, behind Gabriel Batistuta and Hernan Crespo.

47. Scotland’s Tartan Army have a chant in praise of Maradona for sending their neighbours out of the 1986 World Cup.

48. Maradona on World Cup ’98: “The players have all got square feet. They are like Robocops, they have more need of lubricant than massage. I don't believe the tournament could be worse.”

49. The IIMSAM (Intergovernmental Institution for the Use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition) appointed Maradona as its Goodwill Ambassador in 2006.

50. In a book on Maradona in 1997, Argentinian psychologist and author Gustavo Bernstein noted: “Maradona is our maximum term of reference. No-one embodies our essence better. No-one bears our emblem more nobly. To no other, in the last 20 years, have we offered up so much passion. Argentina is Maradona, Maradona is Argentina.”

Goal.com

Dynamos-the Pakistan of Zimbabwean football ..where fighting is the daily life

http://www.radiovop.com

Atlas, the mythical Greek god who supposedly held the pillars of the universe would have smiled in admiration in the manner in which Dynamos have dominated Zimbabwean football.

For decades, De Mbare have been the most dominant force in Zimbabwean football with a proud tradition that has not been easily earned. Since its inception in 1963, Dynamos have won the league title more than any other club. During the days of the Rhodesia National Football League, Dynamos won the championship in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1976, and 1978.

They followed this up with successes in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2007.

Dynamos have also won the country's major knockout tournament, the Castle Cup, which was later known as the Zifa Cup. The team clinched the Zifa Cup on countless occasions. The team also won major tournaments in 1976, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1996, and 2007.

Their players have also won the soccer star of the year award more than any other team with the legendary George Shaya holding the record of five individual titles, three more than his closest rivals Peter Ndlovu, then of Highlanders and Stanley Ndunduma of CAPS United and later Black Rhinos with two each.

Shaya took the title in 1969, 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1977. Other Dynamos winners of the award were Ernest Kamba in 1973, David Mandigora in 1980, Japhet Mparutsa in 1982, Moses Chunga in 1987, Memory Mucherahowa in 1994, Tauya Murehwa in 1995 and Murape Murape in 2007.

Some of Dynamos' leaders among them, Morrison Sifelani, Godfrey Japajapa, Lesley Gwindi, Wellington Nyatanga, have used the club as a platform to lead the game at national level in the Premier Soccer League and the Zimbabwe Football Association.

Dynamos' excellence has even extended beyond the country's borders. The club holds the record of being the only Zimbabwean club to reach the final of any continental title having reached the final of the Caf Champions League in 1998 under the stewardship of George Shaya, Thaban Lloyd Hove and Lesley Gwindi with the late Spencer Njagu doing the groundwork from down under.

Dynamos' success in Pan African football in 1998 was followed by a Confederation of African Football (Caf) ranking as one of the top six teams in African football just before the draw for the 2010 Caf Champions League.

The club was formed during the days of political tension between the whites and blacks.

During the days of Rhodesia Black people were not allowed to mix with their white counterparts in n sport. So the Black players took part in the then Rhodesia Amateur Football Association while the White footballers played in the then professional league. In 1960, Len Brown, a reporter with the Rhodesia Herald invited a group of black footballers to join the white dominated Salisbury City.

In 1963, there was a dramatic collapse of Salisbury City, leaving the black footballers with nowhere to showcase their skills. 'The collapse' said Benard Marriot Lusengo, 'was political'. ‘It was a way of trying to avoid Black soccer players to participate in the same team with White players because the Black players had shown that they were better footballers.'

Dynamos 1963 line up

Unhappy with the situation, other Black players also broke away from Salisbury United and together with those from Salisbury City they gathered at house number 86 Mbirimi Drive in Mbare for a meeting. The players Josiah Akende, Danny Thomas, Patrick Dzvene, Sydney Karungaire, Alois Meskano, Richard Chiminya, Jairos Banda, Benard Marriot Lusengo, Lameck Mlambo, Obediah Sarupinda, Freddy Mkwesha, Alan Hlatwayo, and Simon Machaya met at Sam Dauya's house.

They agreed to form an all Black football team and one Nercacio Murambiwa who had heard of a Russian team called Dynamos Kiev suggested that the team be called Dynamos and so started the great team. Ted Bridges of the Tobacco Sales Company gave Sarupinda, who was coach of the side, 50 pounds, a first aid kit, a set of uniforms, and soccer balls to start the team.

Bridges' company also provided the lorry that ferried the players to matches and also employed some of the players, including Sarupinda, at his company. From these humble beginnings Dynamos rose to become not only the best football team in the country but one of the best in Africa.

The club still honours its founding fathers. Chiminya is chairman of the club's board of directors. The board of directors is made up of the founding fathers and is the supreme decision making body at the popular Harare club. It is the body that appoints the executive which in turn runs the club on day to day basis.

But as problems characterise the daily existence of the club, it is the same founding fathers that are now being accused of destroying the same house that they built. Players go for months without pay despite the huge crowds that attend the team's matches. The team does not have a bus or property.

Fighting has become De Mbare's daily life. Literally everyone associated with Dynamos has become a Warrior. Finger pointing is the order of the day. The club has become the Pakistan of Zimbabwean football with endless fighting and squabbles among the many factions that have come up.

Former defender Henry Chari said the fact that De Mbare had three chairpersons in the past three seasons showed the extent of the confusion at Dynamos. Farai Munetsi is the current chairman. Last year, it was Partson Moyo while George Shaya was the chairman in 2008.

Shaya who was chairman in 1998 when De Mbare reached the final of the Caf Champions League, is now being treated like a dissident in his own home. He has been barred from attending the team's games for siding with another faction. He now fears for his life after threats for siding with a faction led by former secretary and Chairman Ignatius Pamire.

Chari blamed the Dynamos problems on the failure by the founder members to transform the club into a company. 'These founding fathers have destroyed the club. They just appoint people at will and this has created problems,' said Chari.

'People are just picked from the streets and then asked to lead the club. There should be a system in place in the appointment of the club's executive,' added Chari. 'There should also be a term of office rather than appoint somebody today, then fire him tomorrow. Dynamos is a big club for one to achieve results he needs time in office.'

'People are just picked from the streets and then asked to lead the club'But Chiminya, the head of the founder members said some the former players without jobs were responsible for the chaos at the club as they were always trying to find comfortable positions within the system. 'Just look at the number of former players involved in the conflicts and you will see what I am talking about' he said.'

Former club vice chairman and secretary Stan Kasukuwere said the fact that the board of directors appointed the executive breeds corruption. 'People can buy their way into the club even if they are not football people,' said Kasukuwere. 'That is the reason why there are always problems at Dynamos. The appointments are not done with football in mind.'

Former Dynamos Supporters Association secretary Tendai Makoni said Dynamos should go back to the old days when elections were held to choose the executive.

The club supporter said it was important that Dynamos was turned into a company and listed on the stock exchange. He added that the founder members should be put on pension to enjoy the benefits of forming the team than leading it to destruction. 'In that way, there won't be any problems. The shareholders will be there to control the club with qualified executives running the team on day to day basis,' said Makoni.

Chiminya said they cannot just give away the only thing that belongs to them. 'A father cannot run away from his house because there are problems. The club belongs to us and we will do everything to ensure that it remains successful.'

The prospects of peace at Dynamos are looking gloom. The club has created too many 'warlords' that those who are in positions today are always looking over their shoulders to see who wants to topple them. As long as such a situation continues to exist, Dynamos will remain in their current position.

Zifa House is not the problem

EDITOR — I read with amusement the story in your paper recently that Zifa was planning to sell its "haunted" 53 Livingstone Avenue headquarters.

Cuthbert Dube, Zifa president, believes Zifa House has become "a cursed place that should soon be vacated and sold."

This is coming from a whole administrator that we understand sits on the board of some companies.

I am sure that Dube, who is said to have had his life saved by some Nigerian "prophet", is taking mysticism rather too far.

The truth of the matter is that football in this country has been failed by the administrators per se not where they stay or work.

The ongoing Tom Saintfiet saga, which started under the very nose of Dube, for example, has nothing to do with Zifa House, no matter how ugly it looks now.

What happened was that the officials, whose very houses could then well be cursed given their blundering, chose to ignore sense and appoint the promising Mapeza.

They then appointed Sainfiet and led him to work without papers, which rightly earned him banishment and subsequent rejection by Immigration authorities.

In the first place, Zifa had "poached" the Belgian gaffer from Namibia.

Were they led by evil spirits?

On the other hand, corruption has gnawed at our football even from Far Eastern encla-ves thousands of kilometres away from Zifa House.

No, Mr Dube it is nothing to do with the place, it is about the persons who have inhabited it. Zimbabwe should have been on top in terms of football were it not for the bungling of Zifa.

We cannot produce another Peter Ndlovu because there simply is no junior policy to nurture young talent.

Our campaign for continental showing is under stress because of poor leadership that is characterised by confusion.

Whereas other countries like South Africa and Nigeria are flaunting their female talent in the game, our team is in the doldrums and we wonder what happened to the energy we had gathered at the turn of the new millenium.

No, Mr Dube, it is not about the Zifa House but its occupants, in their succession.

Let us be rational about it.

A bad administrator blames his office.

Mary Murungu.

Craneborne,

Harare.

Zimbabwe: A Golden Era

By Robson Sharuko of The Herald (www.herald.co.zw)

TIMES have certainly been hard in Zimbabwean football -- the gloom brought by Asiagate, the chaos triggered by the abortive recruitment of Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet and a 2012 Nations Cup campaign that remains on the edge after four dropped points in two matches that ended in draws.

We still wait for the BancABC Sup8r Cup final to be played, almost a month behind schedule, the Premiership remains unbranded, its best players like Ashley Rambanapasi now play with a passport in their socks just in case a move appears on the horizon and the Division One leagues have turned into a big joke that teams can get as many as six walkovers in a season.

Ninety percent of the Premiership clubs are on the verge of bankruptcy, the smaller boys are unlikely to survive another season without a major sponsor coming on board, the bigger clubs have been feeling the heat for some time and their coffers are empty and fears that the top-flight league could collapse, if it doesn't get a massive financial injection, are real.

Amid the gloom all that we can do is just to wait.

Waiting for Supersport Africa to finally see the light that the breeding grounds that gave the world Peter Ndlovu are still fertile and crying out loudly for the changes that follow when the pay-per-view television giant brands a domestic league the way they have done in Zambia, Kenya, Angola and South Africa.

Waiting for the domestic sponsors to see that, despite our Achilles Heel as a community blighted by a cancer that makes it virtually impossible for us to manage our affairs without a touch of controversy, we still have a massive market that is worth the risk of engagement and the big crowd at the Harare Derby last Sunday was a public show of our strength.

Waiting for someone to see that for all our shortcomings as a football community, and the destabilising impact that the lack of funding has on our growth into a powerful force, we still can produce a team that is good enough to be ranked among the six best clubs on the continent and force the continental leaders to reward us with four slots in the Champions League and the Confederations Cup.

Waiting for someone to heal the wounds inflicted over the past few months on a polarised domestic football leadership that was split along regional lines and building the bridges that will enable us to see that there is value in working as a united front, the way our brothers in Botswana are doing, rather than working as wayward platoons of rebellious militia.

But amid all the gloom, it's difficult to ignore the rainbow of hope that has filtered through the dark clouds hanging over Zimbabwean football and the sensational performance of Knowledge Musona, in powering Kaizer Chiefs to a comprehensive victory in the Soweto Derby before 75 000 fans at Soccer City on Saturday, was a breath of fresh air to a community desperate for a feel-good story.

Never in the history of the Soweto Derby which officially started in 1985 when the South African league was finally turned, from a haven of rebellious fiefdoms divided by the ghost of the race relations that blighted their society, into an orderly national league, had this flagship fixture been so dominated by a 20-year-old, with such boyish looks of innocence, he would find it difficult to frighten a church mouse.

Never in the history of the Soweto Derby had one man, just out of his age of innocence having recently waved goodbye to his sweet teenage years, been so dominant that he shaped the game in his own image, giving it the goals that made the difference, terrorising the opponents as if they were second-grade foes and not the Mighty Bucs and when he wasn't scoring goals, he was forcing them into errors to score own goals.

Never in the history of the Soweto Derby had a player, who had just played two Nations Cup qualifiers for his country and scored just one goal in those matches, turned on such an outstanding show that even the biggest selling South African football magazine, Kick-Off, were left with no option but to give him a perfect 10 out of 10 mark in their player ratings.

Never in the history of the Soweto Derby had a young assassin played with such a smile, but still with such devastating effect, it was simply difficult to hate him, even if you were in the opposition and bearing the brunt of his destructive force, and Musona's performance last Saturday will remain embedded in the hearts and minds of all who were privileged witnesses to this beautiful story.

For the record it was the biggest winning margin, by either side, in the Soweto Derby in the last 15 meetings, going back almost eight years, between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates -- the two giants who dominate the South African football landscape.

The first goal was made in Norton, Musona's hometown, and delivered in the majestic surroundings of Soccer City, via a helping hand from a deflection from a winger from Cape Town called Diane Klate, after the Smiling Assassin had carved some space in the box, jinxed his way down the byline and then rolled a dangerous ball that was turned home by Klate for an own goal.

The second one was a penalty, after he was brought down by Lucky Lekgwathi who must still be having nightmares about that derby, in general, and Musona in particular, and it was hard to believe the composure of this 20-year-old as he took responsibility, in a team featuring World Cup stars like Siphiwe Tshabalala, and sending the goalkeeper the wrong way with a cool conversion.

The third was the best of the lot, a sudden burst of speed clearing him away from the defender and his searing pace giving him a slight advantage of the advancing goalkeeper but it was the touch, of class, that lifted the ball over the 'keeper and the finish, with a diving header to beat the challenge of the rapidly advancing defender, was crisp and ended the game as a contest.

View From South Africa

Melissa Reddy writes for the South African website, Football365.co.za, and recently blogged on the impact that Musona and his fellow Zimbabwean forward, Nyasha Mushekwi, have made in football in that country. "When Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns began annexing Zimbabwe's talent, the South African media was awash with headlines screaming 'Buy one, get two free', while fans coined the terms Zimba Chips and BraZIMilians to describe the purchasing trend of the glamour clubs," wrote Reddy."The country's award-winning writers, meanwhile, were furious that Amakhosi and Downs were paying for 'cheap labour' rather than investing in young South Africans or splashing the cash on one of the nation's exports who were feeling a little homesick or grew tired of counting the scratches on the benches in Europe.

"Knowledge Musona arrived at Naturena after being scouted by a Chiefs party who were privy to a Division One game featuring Aces Youth Academy in Zimbabwe."Together with Thomas Sweswe and Zhaimu Jambo, the Smiling Assassin joined the Soweto giants at the beginning of the 2009/2010 season amidst disdain from the club's legends and supporters.

"After the signing of the trio, former Amakhosi star Malombo Lechaba told the Daily Dispatch: 'It is a major concern that a club with so many sponsors can fail to dig deep into its pockets and get quality players.'

"The criticism was no different in the case of Nyasha Mushekwi, who was tracked by Chiefs, but ended up at Chloorkop.

"When Amakhosi missed out on their target, Mushekwi was derided as a basketball player, something Sundowns goalkeeper Brian Baloyi warned the opposition's defenders not to read into: 'After Kaizer Chiefs lost him there were some negative reports that came out saying he is a basketball player, but you will see a different player,' said the veteran stopper. 'With what he's got now he is going to be one of the best strikers in the league.'

"There may not have been a massive welcoming party to greet the players when they arrived at their respective clubs, but at the moment, the Premier Soccer League, the supporters and those hacks who suffer from short-term memory syndrome can't get enough of the Zim duo.

"Why this story is important?

"The two young strikers serve as a reminder for the South African Football Association to heavily invest in development. If a country that has only just seen an upturn in its disastrous economic situation can produce such promising youngsters without any form of nurturing, imagine the pool of talent Bafana Bafana would be afforded if some emphasis was placed on harnessing our gifted youth?

"Anyone who doubted the Zimbabwe duo when they made the switch to South Africa must surely be eating several servings of humble pie at the moment.

"Vladimir Vermezovic has admitted that Musona is the best striker Chiefs have in their ranks, while Antonio Lopez Habas paid special tribute to the influential cameo role Mushekwi played on Saturday night. At the start of the season, Katlego Mphela was the favourite to land the Golden Boot, with Knowledge getting a punt or two, but his countryman wasn't even given a mention.

"But we believe the duo will be more than just giving 'Killer' sleepless nights. Habas cannot afford to overlook Mushekwi in his starting XI much longer, while Vlad V has admitted he needs to build the team around his young gem. With both sides' pushing for the title, the Zimbabweans have emerged as their trump cards.
"They don't look so cheap now, do they?"


Goals, Goals And More Goals

Musona and Mushekwi, now known as the Double M striking force, were on target on Wednesday as Zimbabwe's Warriors beat Mozambique 3-1 in their backyard in Maputo in an international friendly played under blustery conditions at the Maxaquene Stadium.

Mushekwi's goal-scoring instincts are beyond question and the good thing about this partnership is that it offers contrast, which is important, with two vastly different players -- one who is lightweight and relies on his brain, skill and pace and the other who is heavyweight and relies on his power, an eye for goal and lightning pace.

Both are strong in the air, which is another advantage, and with Mushekwi (23) and Musona (20), they are both young enough to keep learning and, crucially, to keep improving and turn into a fierce striking force that could destroy opponents and take the Warriors to the Promised Land.

The Warriors can rise again, no doubt about that, and the performance of the emerging crop of players, who are ready to fill in the void that is being left by the old guard, and long after the shadow cast by Asiagate has disappeared, we will rise as a strong and powerful football nation if we just get our cards right.

Of course, beating a weakened Mozambique can't complete our fairytale in terms of our bid to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals and it is very clear that the Eagles of Mali will provide stiffer opposition, both in their backyard and here in Harare, and we will have to survive a storm on an Atlantic Ocean island when we go to Cape Verde.

But little Botswana have been showing us, day-in-and-day-out, week-in-and-week-out and month-in-and-month-out, that there is nothing to fear about the West or North African dinosaurs that used to control of our football, either by hook or crook, and the Zebras' performance in their quest to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals has simply been brilliant.

On Wednesday little Botswana beat Tunisia 1-0 in Gaborone, the second time they have beaten them in these qualifiers after winning in Tunis, to virtually guarantee themselves a place at the 2012 Nations Cup finals -- the first time the Zebras will be playing at the tournament.

Midfielder Jerome Ramatlhakwane scored the priceless goal in Gaborone, which moved the Zebras six points clear in the group, after a goalkeeping blunder by the Tunisian goalkeeper to heap further misery on the North Africans who were still reeling from Esperance's 1-6 humiliation by TP Mazembe in the Champions League final.
But how the Zebras have rebounded from a team whose soul was torn apart by a crisis, torched by their 1-4 defeat at the hands of China in an international friendly on September 30 last year that sparked allegations of match-fixing, into a competitive team about to qualify for the Nations Cup finals in exactly one year, is what should act as a template as we try to rebuild the Warriors.

The Zebras have shown that, if you handle your crisis well, you can find the strength to rise from adversity and while the Botswana Football Association's disciplinary committee ruled that the match in China was fixed, the BFA did not suspend the players who featured in that controversial game.

Instead the BFA board felt that their chief executive Mooketshi "Tosh" Kgotlele, who didn't travel on that trip to China, was guilty of failing to adhere to procedure, concealing vital information and was generally dishonest in his dealings and was the fall guy in the challenges that faced the Zebras on that tour.

Kgotlele, who denies the match-fixing charges, was dismissed from his job in April this year and has since filed a lawsuit against the Botswana Football Association against unlawful dismissal.

We certainly don't know what might have happened on other tours by Botswana to Asia or elsewhere in the world because the BFA's investigations centred on that trip to China last September where the players ended up being stranded, needing money for an unbudgeted extra night's accommodation.

The key point here is that for all the drama that has been happening in the corridors of the BFA, what the Botswana football authorities have done well is to make sure that the shape of their national team remains intact and they have been rewarded, of course, by the Zebras' sensational campaign which has taken them within touching distance of a place at the 2012 Nations Cup finals.

The BFA leadership did not bring down their entire house, because they believed it had been invaded by a cockroach, but they searched for the insect, while keeping their structure intact, because they knew that they would soon need the cover of the roof when the rains start falling.

Parties exploded in Botswana on Wednesday following the Zebras' 1-0 win over Tunisia and what mattered, in those celebrations, was the fact that the country was within touching distance of a place at the Nations Cup finals and certainly not the controversy that had plagued some of the players, who were now the heroes on Wednesday, during a trip to China last year.

So much has been written about Mushekwi and company because they happened to have been part of an unauthorised trip to Asia last year that turned out to be controversial and a number of experts have given their views with others even claiming that Zifa have been ordered by Fifa to suspend the players who would be found guilty of having featured in a fixed game.

Match-fixing has no role in any society and it has to be crushed, by all means possible, but the same Fifa rules that apply for Botswana, with all the problems they faced since last September, should also apply to Zimbabwe and if the players in that Zebras team were not suspended, why then are we seemingly so desperate to ensure that our players are suspended?

If the BFA disciplinary committee returned a verdict that the Zebras' match against China was certainly fixed, why then did they not attract the Fifa sanctions by not suspending their players, who are now on the verge of creating history, while we are told day-in-and-day-out that Fifa is saying that our players have to face the music simply because they might have ended up being used as pawns?

I was reading a statement by the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart on the controversy surrounding Asiagate and the good lawyer seemed to strike the right baton by saying that he didn't believe in the punishment of players whom he considered powerless pawns in the game.

I'm certainly not Mushekwi's advocate but what I can see in this young man is a good future, not only for himself as a striker, but also for his country - the Warriors brand that he represents in the jungles of international football.

When we needed him most, during the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup final against Zambia at Rufaro last year, a half-fit Mushekwi rose to the occasion and scored twice against Chipolopolo in a 3-1 win for the Warriors to send a full-house into delirium.

This season he was leading the goal-scoring charts in the Confederations Cup, scoring at will for CAPS United, and taking them to their furthest spot in the competition, the final qualifying round, which they would probably have won had Mushekwi, Method Mwanjali and Lionel Mtizwa played against Al-Hilal who lost a penalty shootout semi-final contest against Club Sfaxien last week.

He has also made a storming start to his debut season in South Africa, scoring goals regularly, and on Wednesday he scored twice for the Warriors in their 3-1 win over Mozambique in an international friendly.