adminAugustine Hwata Sports Reporter
AS the year 2013 draws to a close, the Zimbabwe football scene experienced the good, the bad and the ugly sides — both on and off the field.Right now the Warriors are busy preparing for their third appearance at the African Nations Championships finals in South Africa next year and while their qualification for the tournament was a decent achievement, it does not in any way erase their worst campaign in the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
The Warriors are hoping to go beyond the group qualifying stages of the continent’s second-tier competition but that will be a resolution for the New Year.
The failure by the Zimbabwe national team to win a single match in the 2014 World Cup campaign marked their worst campaign in the competition since Fifa introduced the group qualifying format 25 years ago.
When the year started, there were great expectations from the success-starved fans as German national Klaus Dieter-Pagels took over as the coach of the national team.
To some fans, memories of the late Reinhard Fabisch, whose Dream Team came within 90 minutes from qualifying for the ‘94 World Cup, were evoked through the appointment of German coach Pagels. But Pagels failed to win even a single game in the competition.
The Warriors finished bottom of their Group G African qualifiers as they scrapped just two draws against Mozambique while losing all matches against Egypt and Guinea.
On July 9, the Warriors suffered their worst home defeat, in a World Cup qualifier, when a Mohamed Salah-inspired Egypt pumped four goals past the hosts at the National Sports Stadium in a campaign that went horribly wrong from the very first day when Rahman Gumbo was in charge.
It was also from this game that Dynamos defender Devon Chafa tested positive for a prohibited substance after a random test was carried out and the player is currently serving a suspension.
As the Warriors disappointed in the World Cup campaign, the giants of domestic football Dynamos also struggled to make an impact in the African Champions League.
Harare giants Dynamos had been aiming to reach the mini-league stage but their potential was questioned even in the preliminary round when they lost the reverse fixture to minnows Lesotho Correctional Services in Maseru in February
In March the writing was on the wall that DeMbare were in trouble after losing 3-0 against Club Athletique Bizertin of Tunisia in the first leg.
Dynamos failed to move mountains as they only managed a 1-0 win in the return leg at Rufaro to bow out of the competition in the early stages for the second year running. As has been the case over the years, Dynamos were in the equation for the Castle Lager Premiership race as they chalked a 20th title.
The Glamour Boys continued to boss their rivals Highlanders and CAPS United while they allowed FC Platinum to steal some points.
Dynamos vice-captain Tawanda Muparati also defied odds to be crowned Soccer Star of the Year ahead of sentimental favourite Silas Songani of Harare City while Callisto Pasuwa became the first coach to win three league titles on the trot.
The defending champions started the season slowly but stalked their rivals while Harare City and Highlanders also battled to a photo-finish in the riveting championship that was decided on the last day. How Mine, who were making a debut in the league, also left a lasting impression when they managed to beat traditional giants Dynamos, CAPS United and Highlanders.
The Premiership also waved goodbye to former champions Monomotapa and Motor Action who were relegated. The fight for survival in the Premiership was also an intriguing affair as Shabanie Mine, who were in the top half of the table, were still not safe going into the last game of the season during which SuperSport fully came on board.
With less than two days before the end of the year, it’s still all gloomy for Moses Chunga as his Hippo Valley side closed shop and might not be part of the Premiership next season despite winning the Eastern Region Division One Championship.
On the ugly side, Chafa was caught on the wrong side of the law after he unfortunately tested positive for a prohibited substance while his teamate Patson Jaure was slapped with a seven-match ban after he was convicted of unsporting behaviour.
As the year was ending, an explosive rift emerged within the PSL when Cuthbert Mutandwa questioned the leadership of his boss Kenny Ndebele.
Zifa and Dynamos both failed to honour their pledges of celebrating their Golden Jubilee which are now turning out to be non-events after all.
It was also worse for Zifa as they had some of their property attached by the Deputy Sheriff over outstanding debts owed to creditors. The Zifa board also failed to bring an end to the long-running Asiagate saga to its logical conclusion with Fifa unable to endorse their suspensions which only leaves Guthrie Zhokinyi and Edmore Sibanda as the victims.
On a positive note, Zifa managed to fulfil all the senior national team’s assignments while the current board completed the construction of a Conference Centre at the Zifa Village.
Online Reporter