Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS legend Douglas ‘‘British’’ Mloyi has praised the Government for taking Independence Celebrations out of Bulawayo and Harare.
Mloyi told Zimpapers Sports Hub that taking the event around the country was a boon for development with football benefitting too.
“Honestly speaking I would like to say it is a good move to have the celebrations taken to other centres other than Bulawayo and Harare.
“In the past Harare has had a lion’s share of the hosting of the event but now it’s being taken around the country which is very positive and good for national development and unity,” said Mloyi, a Bosso legend who won many silverware with the club in a career that lasted over 12 years at the top.
He said football is developing when better facilities are built and rural communities exposed to the Premier Soccer League teams that they have been hearing or reading about.
“It is taking football to the people and the added bonus is that rural folks get to watch our top Premiership sides.
“Youngsters get a dream come true experience when they get to see some of their heroes that they would have heard or read about,” said Mloyi.
This year’s main entertainment feature on Independence Day at Maphisa in Matabeleland South will be a clash between Highlanders and Scottland.
A day before, Mpopoma Sports Academy will have clashed in a women’s football match set to be a good advert platform for women’s sport in the district and region. Mloyi is a past winner of the Indpendence Cup having won it as a player in 1986 and was a national team squad player in 1980 when the Warriors beat Malawi 4-0 in the final.
Mloyi also got to speak about how Dynamos and Zimbabwe former skipper Sunday “Mhofu” Chidzambwa assisted him in the Warriors camp ahead of the 1981 Independence Cup.
Mloyi and Chidzambwa worked for a sports shop with Mloyi at the Bulawayo branch while Chidzambwa was at the Harare one.
“Chidzambwa made me settle in camp with ease. He was able to tell me what to do and the expectations on us from the coaches,” said the former Highlanders defence supremo who debuted in a 1-0 loss against Zambia a week before the Independence four-team tournament.
He describes being part of the Independence tournament as having been a great recognition for an individual player.
“That is among my career highlights and I will always treasure that moment,” said Mloyi.
The Warriors went on to win the four-team tournament organised for the 1981 Independence Celebrations and a week later they were in Zambia for the return leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and lost 2-0 for an effective 3-0 aggregate loss for a young Zimbabwe nation that was barely a year off from international isolation. Mloyi, Madinda Ndlovu and Ernest Sibanda’s call up to this team had seen them follow up in the footsteps of the legendary Tymon Mabaleka who had made history the previous year.
However, Sibanda was dropped from the final squad of the AFCON qualifier and the Independence Trophy.
Zimbabwe beat Mozambique 6-1 in the semi-finals of the Independence Trophy while Malawi edged Zambia 2-1 before a monumental collapse of 4-0 in the final against the hosts at Rufaro.
The 1981 Independence Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Bruce Grobbelaar, Raphael Phiri, Lucky Dube
Defenders: Oliver Kateya, Misheck Chidzambwa, Douglas Mloyi, Majid Dhana, Steven Chuma, Sunday Chidzambwa (captain), Rodrick Muganhiri
Midfielders: David Mandigora, Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa, Archford Chimutanda, Max Tshuma, Hamid Dhana
Strikers: Shackman Tauro, Edward Katsvere, Stanley Ndunduma, Madinda Ndlovu, Rodrick Simwanza, George Rollo, Joseph Zulu
