By Tendai Chisiri
The Central Region Soccer League has been abuzz with controversy following Hard Rock’s 13-0 thrashing of Gokwe North, with some fans accusing the team of match-fixing. However, a closer look at the league’s history reveals that such scorelines are not without precedent.
In June last year, Sheasham demolished Beitbridge-based Bishopstone 11-0, with Ayanda Ncube scoring a hat-trick and Physwell Madhazi and Blessing Munana getting a brace each. This result shows that high-scoring matches can and do happen in the league without any suspicious circumstances.
But what about more extreme cases? The 1988 match between Darryn Textiles and Suri Suri, which ended 15-1 in favor of Darryn, raised eyebrows and prompted the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) to launch an investigation into possible match-fixing. However, it’s worth noting that extraordinary occurrences tend to attract scrutiny, and such scorelines are rare in football.
In fact, the highest match goals in world football history were scored in a match between A.S. Adema and Stade Olympique L’Emyrne in 2002, which ended 149-0 in favor of A.S. Adema. This scoreline was entered into the Guinness Book of Records.
Ultimately, while Hard Rock’s 13-0 win may raise suspicions, it’s essential to consider the context of the match and the league’s history before jumping to conclusions. As the Zifa chairman Nelson Chirwa said back in 1988, “If these two teams have been found to have rigged the game, they will both be suspended or banned from further participation in the Zifa league.” Perhaps a similar investigation would be warranted in this case, but until then, fans should reserve judgment.
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