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Lovemore Dube
IT was and is still a big drawcard on the football scene — a Highlanders FC versus CAPS United match.
For the umpteenth time both clubs will clash at Barbourfields Stadium in search of maximum points. It is a self-motivating game given the stakes that have always engulfed the clashes between the two.
Highlanders FC wrested the Cup Kings tag in 1986 after sweeping all on the sporting calendar in Zimbabwe that year. Prior to that CAPS United with triumphs in the Zifa Cup, Chibuku Trophy and the Rothmans Shield had endeared themselves to bragging rights by playing second fiddle to Dynamos FC in terms of silverware.
CAPS United burst onto the scene in 1979 with a hard fought Chibuku Trophy win over Zimbabwe Saints. They were to grab the national league title, winning a play-off with Southern Region champions. The year 1980 marked the first time both were playing in the same league as CAPS, then known as CAPS Rovers campaigned in the Rhodesia National Football League before being part of the National Professional Soccer League in 1980 which was split into two to cut costs and because of the war situation which had hit new heights.
Getting into 1980 under a unified structure for top teams, there was bound to be a lot of excitement and expectation. Highlanders’ real success was the 1975 Regional League title, a contested second place finish in the 1976 National League. Prior to that Bosso had won the Chibuku Trophy and a number of minor tournaments like the Pelandaba Bus Services Trophy and the National Foods sponsored Real Trophy in 1978.
So going into 1980, Highlanders won the Chibuku Trophy, a memorable 4-0 victory over Rio Tinto and a 3-2 win over Dynamos in the first Heroes Cup. CAPS were to make their mark with a polished youthful side that had many eating out of their palms, winning the first FA Cup. They literally made it theirs and were to draw the huge talent gap with victories of four goals to nil and one in major tournaments between 1980 and 1981 making Bosso look like their bridemaids.
Boasting of a young generation of stars like Stix Mtizwa, Stanley Ndunduma, Tobias Moyo, Charles Sibanda, Joel Shambo, Shaky Tauro and Stephen Chisango, they were no match for a Highlanders side that had toiled in lower division football since the end of 1976.
The South Zone Soccer League which Bosso co-founded was not so strong. That galaxy of stars that dominated the Castle Lager Soccer Stars of the Year calendar, were just too good for the ageing Highlanders backbone of Lawrence Phiri, Willy Luphahla, Majuta Mpofu, Tymon Mabaleka and Tennyson Mloyi.
With CAPS United showing consistency and frica exposure giving them leverage as they took part in the Winners Cup, now the Caf Confederation Cup, Highlanders’ glow came in April of 1984 with the Chibuku Trophy triumph, 2-1 against a Dynamos side. The BAT Rosebowl followed in 1985 and a clean sweep serve for the league title in 1986.
Amahlolanyama were now the second most prominent and successful side after Dynamos with CAPS and the rest fighting for third spot. Investment in retiring the likes of Billy Sibanda, Phiri, Mpofu and Mloyi was paying dividends as youngsters who had come from junior development had grabbed first team jerseys from 1983 under Bobby Clark.
This meant the likes of Madinda Ndlovu introduced to the senior team in 1980, and first Bosso player in the Under-20s in a free Zimbabwe and Peter Nkomo part of the first Under-23 team, had gelled well with later introductions from the famed Under-18 side nicknamed Liverpool, Willard Khumalo, Netsai Moyo, Mercedes Sibanda, Ronnie Jowa and Mpumelelo Dzowa meant that they could go toe-to-toe with the CAPS United midfield.
The duels between Joel Shambo, Friday Phiri, Oscar Motsi and Antony Kambani for CAPS United and Highlanders’ Tito Paketh, David Phiri, Khumalo, Dzowa, Thoko Sithole and Titus Majola were matchings made in heaven. The kind of stuff that in almost over 30 years, people talk about it as if they happened recently.
The 1990s brought with them a new set of stars between the two clubs, a period in which both won league titles successes up to 1980 shared between Dynamos, Black Rhinos and Zimbabwe Saints. Highlanders won the title in 1990 and 1993 with CAPS making their mark in 1996 led by a well oiled machine that had Stewart Murisa, Alois Bunjira, Dumisani Mpofu, William Chari, Lyodd Chitembwe among the leading stars.
Highlanders in its successes had the mercurial Ndlovu brothers Adam and Peter who were maturing, Makwinji Soma-Phiri, Cleopas Dlodlo, Gift Lunga (Snr), the mature lot of Alexander Maseko and Peter Nkomo an exciting team. Both clubs were back in the 2000s as the most formidable there could ever be in local football making Dynamos fans green with envy as they dominated the league scene from 1998 to 2005 with AmaZulu. This era had its own great stars like Blessing Makunike and Thulani Ncube.
How the mighty have fallen. Today the two teams clash with no stand out stars. There is very little between the two teams that stands out and entice fans to fill Barbourfields Stadium. There are no players of the yesteryear calibre but a bunch of mediocre guys masquerading as footballers seeking relevance among both sets of fans and the nation. The mighty have fallen.
What could still be remaining are the names of the two teams as reminders of a begone era when stadia were packed as early as 12pm.
But football fans still hold to their hearts with nolstagia impressions made by past generations of great players. Clashes such as the one fans are going to watch this afternoon, have a knack of producing new stars. There is no bigger motivation better than being part of this game that brings together both sets of fans from Bosso and Kepekepe and football neutrals strewn all over the world.
The better team of the day will win but the game should be the winner with players to raise their performances. It is unfortunate that the highest billing falls on Ariel Sibanda, the two-time Zimbabwe Goalkeeper of the Year. Yet in the yesteryear it was strikers and midfielders who would be talk of town getting into match day.
Online Reporter