Online Reporter
IT’S the biggest midweek Castle Lager Premier Soccer League game we have had in the capital for quite a long time.
Rufaro will be the centre of Zimbabwean football attention today when Dynamos face Scottland in a rearranged league match this afternoon.
The match starts at 3pm.
It is much more than just an ordinary league match. Dynamos desperately need victory to remain in the title race while Scottland, sitting at the summit, will be eager to strengthen their position. With so much at stake, there is every reason to expect a fiercely contested encounter. But there is absolutely no reason for supporters to turn the match into a battlefield.
Football is supposed to bring people together, not tear communities apart.
Dynamos and Scottland may have different histories, ambitions and supporters, but both are important components of Zimbabwean football.
The outcome of today’s match must therefore be decided by the players on the pitch and not by violence, intimidation or disorder in the stands.
This is where supporters have a major responsibility. Passion is an essential part of football. Fans should sing, dance, celebrate good football and passionately support their teams.
They should also be allowed to express disappointment when things do not go their way. But there is a clear line between passionate support and unacceptable behaviour. That line must not be crossed at Rufaro. In particular, supporters must respect the match officials.
Referees are human beings and, like players, they can make mistakes.
A wrong decision can be frustrating, especially when it appears to change the course of a potentially important match.
But abusing, threatening or physically confronting officials cannot be justified.
At the same time, respect must work both ways. The match officials have a huge responsibility to ensure that today’s titanic encounter is handled professionally, fairly and consistently.
They must understand the magnitude of this fixture and the enormous emotions surrounding it. The players, coaches and supporters deserve competent officiating. Officials must therefore be alert, decisive and courageous.
They must apply the Laws of the Game consistently to both teams, regardless of reputation, league position or the pressure coming from the stands.
If there are difficult decisions to make, they must make them without fear or favour. Nothing destroys confidence in football faster than perceptions of inconsistent officiating.
That does not mean every controversial decision is evidence of bias.
Football is an incredibly fast game, and referees will inevitably get some decisions wrong. However, officials must minimise avoidable errors and demonstrate professionalism throughout the match. The players and technical teams also have a role to play.
They must concentrate on football rather than constantly surrounding referees, provoking opponents or encouraging supporters to become hostile.
Today’s match has the potential to showcase everything that is good about Zimbabwean football.
The fact that Dynamos must win to keep their championship hopes alive, while Scottland need a positive result to protect their position at the top, should make the contest exciting.
Let the intensity remain on the pitch.
Let Rufaro roar with football songs rather than hostility.
The real victory today should, therefore, belong to football itself.
