Beware of the Ides of March, Swaziland

Noel Munzabwa

WILL Sihlangu be hit by another famed Ides of March?

Thata��s the big question that stares directly in faces of many football fans as the new month begins the countdown to the two 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Swaziland.

Those in the know will tell you Sihlangu has never beaten the Zimbabwe Warriors in the month of March.

The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martiae, Late Latin: Idus Martii) is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to 15 March. It was marked by several religious observances and became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.

The death of Caesar made the Ides of March a turning point in Roman history, as one of the events that marked the transition from the historical period known as the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire.

Ita��s with this in mind that football today reminds our end of month opponents of the Warriors Ides that await them based on football statistics.

By mere football draw coincidence though, the Warriors will meet Sihlangu at Somhlolo National Stadium before the Harare return leg.

In similar fashion, in March 2010 in the CHAN qualifiers, the Warriors won 2-1 in Swaziland before thumping Sihlangu 3-0 at Rufaro Stadium – indeed the Ides of March struck soundly.

In March 2015, the two countriesa�� Under 23 sides were supposed to meet but a last minute withdrawal saw the Young Warriors being awarded a walk over.

Past meetings heavily favour the Warriors.

The biggest Warriors victory over Swaziland came on 27 June 2004.

Captain Peter Ndlovu scored a hat-trick for Zimbabwe as they thrashed Swaziland 5-0 in a Cosafa Castle Cup quarter-final tie in Mbabane.

But the game was abandoned by Mozambican referee Mateus Infante seven minutes from time when angry Swazi fans threw missiles at their teama��s bench.

An assortment of objects – mostly beer cans and small rocks – rained down on the Swazi bench after Zimbabwea��s fifth goal.

Police then fought running battles with fans who sought to attack their own team after a disappointing performance that also saw Swaziland also squander a second-half penalty.