Double red card for rowdy Dougy

Nkosilathi Sibanda

ZIFA Southern Region Division One outfit Talen Vision have severed ties with gritty defender Douglas Sibanda, saying the player soiled the club’s reputation after he was sent off for insulting a fan in last Friday’s clash with Bulawayo City.

Talen Vision went on to lose the all-important derby to their title rivals.

The sturdy defender cum midfield enforcer was given his marching orders by referee Allan Basvi in the 27th minute for exchanging X-rated language with a spectator.

Instead, Sibanda, a former Highlanders and Bulawayo City player, turned “drama king” and initially refused to move off the pitch.

For a player of his age and maturity, Sibanda will forever rue his foul mouth. His expulsion from Talen Vision might have all but ended his chances of reviving his once flagging career, which at one stage took him to Bulawayo giants Highlanders in the Castle Lager Premiership.

Authorities at Talen Vision were enraged and no wonder Sibanda was told to go home and find manners.

“The club has decided to terminate Dougy’s contract. The team’s executive feels his conduct during the match was unbecoming for a senior player. What incensed the team’s leadership was his audacity to refuse to move out of the pitch after being shown the red card. They are saying had it been that Dougy put on a rough tackle on a player, they  were going to be considerate or lenient,” said a source privy to the on-goings at Talen Vision.

Word doing rounds at the club is that had Sibanda behaved well, they could have won against their neighbours.

The Trukumb Mining Enterprises-sponsored team had set its sights on opening a nine-point lead at the top of the league, shrugging off Bulawayo City’s quest for a Premiership return.

The loss to Amakhosi ended Talen Vision coach Mkhuphali “Cooper” Masuku and his lieutenants of Xolani “Skweya” Nkundlande and Saul “Soso” Ndlovu’s 22-match unbeaten streak.

Amakhosi won the match through a solitary goal by Melikhaya Ncube in the 55th minute.

Talen Vision remain top of the table with 52 points amassed from 23 games while Amakhosi are now 49 points from 22 games as the title race goes to the wire.