Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
FORMER Highlanders player and coach Cosmas Zulu yesterday broke his silence on the 1981 Heroes Cup final against Dynamos in which the Bulawayo giants were drubbed 5-1 by Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium.
Zulu who was the lead striker on the day with Tymon Mabaleka was red carded for what referee Frank Valdermaca adjudged was refusal to restart the game after a disputed goal by Dynamos.
The former pacy and hard booting striker was eventually banned for the incident but the action was later lifted allowing Zulu to continue with his playing career.
In retrospect, Zulu believes lack of appreciation about football rules is the biggest cause of violence in stadia. He says they were wrong to protest the goal and what even made it worse was the fact that the action was before Zimbabwe’s first President, Canaan Banana and then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe.
“It was something new to have Prime Minister and President watching the game, we were saying here we are, we have arrived showcasing our talents,” said Zulu.
Zulu said as Highlanders players they did not want to lose the match.
He attributed disturbances of matches to players and their coaches being ignorant of rules.
“Even today players and coaches cannot interpret an offside, it’s difficult to judge when you are playing, how do you dispute an offside when you are not in line with play, not in the middle,” said Zulu.
He said soccer rules need interpretation for coaches to understand in simple language. That he said would assist many to have a better appreciation and help in the management of matches.
“We did not even know whether he was offside or not, he said.
In hindsight he says they were wrong to dispute the goal.
Highlanders who were the defending champions had beaten CAPS United 3-1 in the semi-finals while Dynamos got the better of Rio Tinto 2-1.
The late Hamid Dhana had put Dynamos 2-0 in the lead in the 26th minute after a pass from Misheck Chidzambwa.
The visitors protested the goal. As some of the Bosso were outside with coaches, the referee gave Zulu marching orders for not restarting play.
“Zulu insists even on this day that he was not on the wrong as his teammates were still outside. His attacking mate Mabaleka was not there and other players were outside drinking water, Valdermarca was supposed to be patient.
With 10 men to face, Dynamos ran rings around Highlanders and hammered three more goals with Chidzambwa adding another goal after he had opened the scoring in the sixth minute and another two from Kembo Chunga.
Dynamos coach Sherperd Murape described the match as the mismatch of the year while Highlanders’ Edward
Dzowa said they had been demoralised by the referee.
Phineas Mabaleka scored Highlanders’ consolation goal.
Zulu says knowledge of soccer rules is important and should also be spread to fans through publication of booklets that can be distributed at stadia before matches.
The scoreline remains the biggest defeat in the history of the Heroes Cup finals and with six goals scored among the highest ever since 1980.
