Online Reporter
Curtworth Masango
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOR nearly five years, the giant National Sports Stadium stood silent.
Zimbabwe’s biggest sporting arena, once the home of the Warriors and some of the country’s greatest football moments, became a symbol of decline as safety concerns and deteriorating infrastructure forced international football out of the country.
This afternoon, the giant stadium comes back to life at last.
The 44 000-seater facility will host its first Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) match in years when defending champions Scottland face log leaders CAPS United in what the authorities have described as an operational test event. For a nation that has watched the Warriors play “home” matches mainly in South Africa, the occasion carries significance beyond the 90 minutes.
The stadium was locked out of international football after FIFA and later CAF raised concerns over deteriorating facilities, poor infrastructure and safety standards.
Zimbabwean clubs and national teams were left without a recognised home venue, a situation that became an embarrassment for a country with a proud football tradition.
The long wait finally began to ease on May 17 when the Government officially took back control of the facility following an extensive refurbishment programme.
New bucket seats now stretch across sections of the stadium.
Electronic turnstiles have been installed to improve crowd management, while upgrades have also been made to the playing surface, drainage system and changing rooms. But this afternoon’s match is about more than football. It is a chance to test how the renovated stadium handles a big crowd, how supporters move through the access points and how matchday operations function under real conditions before the venue seeks full clearance for international football.
The Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture has urged football fans to fill the stadium and be part of what Permanent Secretary Nicholas Moyo described as a historic moment.
“Witness this historic moment as the giant National Sports Stadium prepares to reclaim its place as the home of Zimbabwean football,” said Moyo.
The stadium is still awaiting a CAF inspection that could determine when Zimbabwe returns to hosting international matches on home soil.
For CAPS United acting coach Ian Bakala, this afternoon’s occasion also brings back memories of a venue that shaped some of the club’s finest years.
“It’s motivating,” said Bakala. “There are a lot of memories in that stadium. CAPS United is always making history there.”
Bakala was part of the CAPS United side that dominated local football during his playing days and helped the Green Machine win the league title in 2005, with the National Sports Stadium as their home ground.
Now, Bakala returns in the technical area with his side sitting at the top of the table and carrying the hopes of a large Makepekepe following.
The coach expects emotions to be high, but insists his players must remain focused on the task at hand.
This afternoon, though, the spotlight will not belong entirely to CAPS United or Scottland.
It will belong to the giant arena in Harare that is opening its gates again and taking its first step towards reclaiming its place at the heart of Zimbabwean football.
Tinaye Agere