Online Reporter
Sports Reporter
HARDROCK owner Shepherd Chahwanda is being hailed for his spirit of sportsmanship which saw him dump domestic rivalry to support Scottland in their CAF Champions League game on Sunday.
The Mabvuku side were making their debut in CAF’s top inter-club competition and beat Nsingizini Hotspurs of Eswatini 1-0 in the first leg.
Chahwanda, the Kwekwe-based businessman, drove to Harare just a day after his Hardrock team thrashed Midlands rivals TelOne 4-1 to close the gap at the top of the Castle Lager Premiership table to just one point.
Scottland are leading the championship race with just six games, and 18 points, still to play for this season.
Despite the two teams’ intense rivalry on the domestic front, where Hardrock have emerged as the biggest challenge to the Scotts’ campaign to retain the title they won last season, Chahwanda decided to support his rivals in their Champions League campaign.
This is a rare gesture in African football where visiting teams usually receive support from the fans, and officials, of the rivals of their hosts in such competitions.
When FC Platinum hosted Orlando Pirates in a Champions League match at Barbourfields, they were shocked to see thousands of Bosso fans backing the South African side.
It has become normal for Zamalek fans to support clubs playing their major domestic rivals Al Ahly in the CAF inter-club competitions.
But Chahwanda, who built a state-of-the-art stadium in Kwekwe, decided to cast domestic rivalry aside and throw his support behind Scottland.
He even came dressed for the occasion, in a Scottland jersey, while his club chairman, Wellington Mpandare, was also wearing a Scottland jersey.
Interestingly, the two teams are set to battle each other in the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals.
For Chahwanda, though, all this didn’t matter on Sunday as he decided it was important to put national interests above his club’s interests.
He is being praised for that stand.
“It was the same energy Farai Jere gave us on Saturday at Rufaro’s City End,” wrote blogger Hope Chizuzu.
“Owners coming down from the boardroom towers to sit where the game lives – with the people.
“Chahwanda’s own stadium in Kwekwe is just weeks and floodlights away from homologation.
“He knows what it takes to get a venue right. To see him in the stands, not the presidential suite, was a beautiful surprise.
“Football run well creates an economy no El Nino can destroy. But first, it needs leaders who understand the assignment: the game is bigger than all of us.”
Here are some other comments
This man is so humble. – Emmanuel Isheunesu Zhou
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Hardrock bhora tinosvika chete. – Tafadzwa Chipoto
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Indeed, mune vision baba. – Asante Sana
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This man is very very humble, Hardrock Football Club pachinei famba Hard. – Kudzai SirCarter Skits
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But it was wiser to be there rocking in a Hardrock FC jersey. – Law Makhiri
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Uyu anonzi Magodora muhombe anogona kutotenga Eswatini yacho yese. – Dennis Pikanisi
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Humble man. – Kumbiraishe Maestro Chikwaka
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One Sherp asina zvipomerwa Boss Kwekwe. – Lloyd Makanganise
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Soccer is back to live in Zimbabwe, thank you. – Lideo Green
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Mbinga isina kana noise. – Keith
Marimira
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You are one of a kind. – Jayson Chikukwa
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1 mbinga inorira zvinyere nyere Hardrock for life. – Fradreck Mbaso
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Manje manje anobura mumwe kubva kuEswatini apo anga achitoona hama dzana ‘Tigger’ Dlamini kkk Chinyerere Mvura yegugwa Mbinga isina noise. – Achieve Mostage
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Munhu anosupporter team yaanoda Nsingizini huchi second leg topedza masports. – Shephard Marufu
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Vakarova Scotland jersey havo. – Charly Praize
