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Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
BRIGHTON Chimhene, Zimbabwe’s reigning soccer referee of the year had a great show in the incident-free Castle Lager Premiership tie, pitting Highlanders and Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
The last time the two teams clashed, the match lasted 37 minutes and disturbances that followed were blamed on inept officiating.
There were fears that history would repeat itself once again as had become the norm with matches featuring the two in Bulawayo.
The Zifa referees’ appointment committee did well to look for the best man for the job.
Chimhene’s display provided for a smooth sailing match. He allowed as much as he could to allow play to flow and managed the game so well that despite early match rough play, he did not flash any cards as that could have turned around later proceedings.
Eventually, he did issue almost half a dozen and they were deserved.
It was good to see both sets of players and coaches at the end of the match walking up to the centre to congratulate him for a job well done.
In previous matches, Zifa failed to provide competent match officials, referees with the right stature in local football. More often, when suspect officials are thrown to handle the match, fans and players tend to despise and challenge every decision the man makes.
There were hardly four calls that either set of fans disagreed with him,as he was in charge of blowing for infringement with equal measure on either side.
His handling of the game had people speaking of the past greats like Felix Tangawarima, Sam Chirape, Thomas Khumalo, Wilfred Mukuna, David Sibanda, Paul Pretorious, Premji Giga, Thabani Mnkantjo, Kizito Ndoro, Antony Mandiwanza and Felix Sanyika. While the match itself had a decent value of good entertainment, it is the refereeing that took sport and provided for a good afternoon’s worth of quality entertainment.
It may not have been the spectacle of yesteryear but both teams must be congratulated for putting up committed displays of good football and sportsmanship.
More often the players could be seen helping an opponent up on his feet,once on the ground asking for a free kick.
There was resolute defending in attack, with both teams employing wing play. Mckinnon Mushore was always a pain to the Dynamos rearguard every time he won possession. Dynamos’ Issa Sadiki and Emmanuel Jalai were a consistent threat each time they had the ball.
Melikhaya Ncube, scorer of Highlanders’ first goal, had a good game in midfield benefitting from the absence of Tanaka Shandirwa due to an unexplained reason and Junior Makunike, who left for Simba Bhora in the off-season.
Dynamos missed the two players’ commanding displays in the middle of the park, where in last year’s fixtures they dominated Highlanders.
Reason Sibanda a recent arrival from Arenel and big Brighton Ncube showed glimpses of what opponents should expect.
Sibanda was enterprising as the second striker while Ncube’s intimidating presence at the centre of the Bosso attack was felt, as he refused to be intimidated by the Dynamos defence.
It is a match that Dynamos threw in their Namibian import Sidney Uri-Khob. He showed a lot of promise in the 11 minutes he was on the field, with some positive forward thrust and high pressing.
Perhaps Highlanders’ decision to field Ariel Sibanda was a masterstroke. His presence despite missing many weeks of active training due to a wound, Sibanda provided assurance at the back with some good goalkeeping.
His blemish for the afternoon was his deliveries, which were not pinpoint but he proved to be a deserving cadre in the starting lineup with his command of his area, though he would let in a goal by Emmanuel Mandinyenya in the 60th minute, where fans felt he should have done better with his defenders Marvelous Chigumira, Peter Muduhwa and Andrew Mbeba.
The fans came to the party too ,filling Barbourfields to cheer their heroes in a rare season-opening tie at Barbourfields Stadium.
Highlanders and Dynamos preached unity in the build-up to the match and the media did away with the ‘inciting’ Battle of Zimbabwe christening of the tie.
It was a great family atmosphere, with both sets of supporters cheering their teams throughout the match.
After the match, it was good to see some Dynamos and Highlanders supporters driving away together, demonstrating that football is the most unifying sport.
For a change even the city bars played Soul Brothers music in celebration as supporters drank the night away happy.
Chimhene’s display was testimony that Zimbabwe still has good referees. He proved that consistency in the application and interpretation of the rules of the game carries the day.
Online Reporter