“Independence Cup in an empty stadium that’s an April Fools Day joke like the News Day article on Warriors being disqualified from the AFCON tourney ” bellowed a reader turning to profess that the domestic league cannot withstand an empty stadium after reading the back page of The Herald dated 1 April 12, 2021.
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The Uhuru Cup, a celebration for the return of the domestic soccer in Zimbabwe is also a celebration for the hard fought war as Dynamos FC clashes against Highlanders FC at National Sports Stadium on Sunday who are always handpicked to play against each other in the Cup is something that has never happened in the domestic league and is therefore important as the league looks forward to matches like this in the future.
Independence Cup has come at a time most soccer fans have lost passion in the local Premier Soccer League (PSL) that have been at a standstill for more than a year. Many have been yearning for the return of the much followed sport in Zimbabwe with Covid-19 lockdown WHO regulations hampering the expectations.
Although soccer was green lighted by the Sports Recreation Commission, soccer fans are pessimistic that soccer resumption in the country cannot be possible as many soccer clubs rely on gate takings. As it is still the order of the day in many leagues around the globe to play in empty stadiums it became inevitable in PSL.
Uhuru Cup will be a trendsetter that the domestic league is going and can be played in an empty stadium.
Whilst fans have been starved of their much loved sport of late , the return of the sport is the centre stage to the football fans.”A player who has not played for a whole year is no longer energetic and in most instances can be forced into retirement because of lack in game time” said Tinarwo Nhundu of Harare.
PSL players are eager to the restart of the game. “We had our Covid -19 tests as according to the Covid-19 protocols”, said Kibaki Dhlamini who turns up for Herentals FC excited to the return of the sport.
The Zimbabwean Independence Trophy is a Zimbabwean association football knockout tournament. It was created as a clubs competition in 1983 played during commemorations of the country’s independence. The final is usually played on 18 April, which is the nation’s Independence Day.
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