Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze-Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE carnival atmosphere was never in doubt, but fears were things could get out of hand.
But in the end, it ended 1-0. MWOS had prevailed over visitors Scottland. Yet it felt like nothing but a number on the digital scoreboard at Ngoni. There were other off the field battles.
This was a match that lived up to its billing — determined teams with scores to settle, a big crowd that bought tickets in advance and classy.
For the entire week, there was a lot of hype surrounding the newbies MWOS and Scottland fixture. Many chose to focus on the purported deep rivalry between the sides and forget about score-line predictions or other plots to the fixture. The much-talked-about rivalry dates back to the teams’ division one time, while battling for a solitary promotion slot into the Premiership. As fate would have it, the two sides eventually found themselves in the elite league. Scottland won the solitary Northern Region promotion ticket, while MWOS bought a franchise from ZPC Hwange.
For a week, building up to their first PSL clash, the two sides’ rivalry hogged the limelight and ignited fierce debates even across social media.
Some feared the worst.
“It has been a busy week, we wanted to ensure the safety and security of everyone attending the match, from fans, players, officials, and everyone,” said Divine Makubalo, MWOS chief security.
In many ways, this became a platform for PSL to set a new benchmark. Match tickets were already sold out days before the match.
A watch party had also been set at Katanga Shops, for fans who could not secure tickets to also watch the game. Hefty figures were tabled as winning bonuses for each side by their paymasters, depicting the magnitude of the fixture. By 10 AM on match day, Norton teemed with life, as everything and everyone appeared to move in one direction, Katanga and Ngoni precisely. It was a day unlike any other, anticipation of the upcoming game had just turned the community into a buzzing hub of excitement. The carnival atmosphere, stretching from the previous night, hinted at the much-expected joys to come.
Clad in beautiful regalia, each club’s fans could be spotted even from a distance and by the time the teams arrived at the venue, the stadium was already a hive of activity.
Vendors had not slept the previous night, making sure they had enough merchandise and that their stalls were set for business boon on the big day. Fears of violent incidents could not be ignored as the Ngoni air immensely crackled with anticipation.
“Preparations included proactive measures like risk assessments, emergency response plans, measures to prevent incidents and reactive measures to address incidents that could occur,” said MWOS chief security Makubalo.
When the game began, it was not the brutal, no-holds-barred contest everyone anticipated.
Instead, an unspoken truce settled over the field in a fair contest that oozed flashes of brilliance, non-aggressive tackles, intelligent controlled play and true sportsmanship.
There were moments of fierce yet clean competition, with MWOS subjecting Scottland to intense pressure, firing at the goal without ceasing in the greater part of the first half.
Tafadzwa George, Nigel Matinha and Arthur Banda entertained the fully packed stands with brilliant attempts to keep Nelson Chadya on his toes as he took the breathtaking saves. On the opposite end, Khama Billiat did enough to throw the fans into frenzy, with classy touches to remind the roaring crowds why he is currently the league’s highest-paid player. His side had a fair share of chances, but their gunman of the day, young Nathan Mutasa, found the going tough against a clinical MWOS defence. Perhaps he could have done better playing out wide, leaving Khama to play the false nine. Mthokozisi Msebe and Kingsely Mureremba lost the midfield battle for the better part of the game. And it was Billy Veremu who made the difference in the 52nd minute.
The goal took his tally to nine goals in 14 games, jointly top on the PSL charts with Telone’s Washington Navaya, Veremu’s goal was met with a roar that shook the very foundations of the stadium.
And there was drama too.
At the 67th minute mark, an on-point referee, Thabani Ruzario, got injured and had to be replaced by fourth official Lloyd Mapanje, who also handled the match in equally good measure. In the end, the sportsmanship displayed by both teams diffused the tension, replacing it with an almost contagious wave of camaraderie across the fans’ stands.
The roar of the crowds was not of anger or disappointment, but of the love of football.
Finally, the rivalry, long the focus of the city’s attention, had been eclipsed by the spirit of sportsmanship. In fact, the day was not won by the MWOS or Scottland, but by football; a testament to the power of the game to unite rather than divide.
“We are happy with how things turned out today, It is not about score lines at the end of the day, but an act of sportsmanship and the unity that prevailed,” said Ogrivah Jaure, a staunch MWOS supporter known as Ogege.
As the sun set, the streets continued to pulse with a vibrant energy — a symphony of excitement, merrymaking, and the tantalising aroma of grilling meat drifting on the evening breeze.
“The projected “mayhem” did not materialise, today, this game was a testament to the unifying power of football, which is what we want on any match day,” said Scottland supporter Richard Sande, also known as Chemhofela.
For Bianca Mutasa of Makmia Catering Services, it was brisk business as she made thrice her usual matchday sales.
“It has been a hectic 24-hours, last night we were already busy setting everything up and making sure that we have enough stock,” she said. “By 7AM, we were already here to start the day; throughout the day, there was a lot of pressure, but I am happy that we managed it, now we smile all the way home.”
