By Rex Mphisa and McGeorge Mbare
Dulibadzimu United (0) 2 Vhembe Stars Academy (0) 2
IT lived to all expectations, and the weather permitted every action.
The Gods of soccer stepped in and set Saturday’s kick off temperature in Beitbridge at 3:00 PM at 21°C (approximately 70°F) under cloudy skies, making it a purely athletic climate.
The same Gods allowed the climatic condition of the 90 minutes of play remain homely and the crowd paraded warm attire, wardrobes’ warm sections had been visited to match the easterly cold breeze that swept through Beitbridge.
Everything was what the soccer doctors ordered for.
The game had all the ingredients of a derby from the electric atmosphere, dress code, tackles – the crude ones, the brilliant, the meaningful and the ones that went unnoticed.
And the controversy befitting a derby was to the last minute when what some said was a goal was denied by others but it was enough to send toungues of the beautiful crowd wagging till dusk developed to dark.
Football lovers made numerous groups to discuss what became the controversial goal until the winter dusk turned to night.
But the golden rule of soccer reigned in the end, the referee’s decision is what carries the match.
He pointed to the centre, signalling a goal.
Having handled he match well, allowing the game to flow – his decision prevailed but was not what everyone wanted.
Vhembe Stars Academy President Loadwell Ziyadumah said he was releasing the R100 000 prize money pledged to his players for “winning” the Battle Of The Limpopo River.
Debates over the goal progressed to bars, to verandas of shops, across the homes of 62 000 Beitbridge people, a section which made a full house of the Stadium.
“My youthful team won. That second “goal” by Dulis was not a real goal. I will give them what they deserve because they played well and according to me, they won the encounter,” he said.
His sentiments were shared by hundreds of the green side of Beitbridge – Vhembe Stars Academy supporters.
But the reds, who follow Dulis passionately, believed justice carried the day considering several crude tackles that injured Evidence Chiraswa and “Fish” where offendors should have seen red were let go.
Vhembe Stars Academy opened the scoring in the 69th minute through Davies Nyamukondiwa before former Dulibadzimu United striker Promise Mushayabasa doubled their lead in the 80th minute.
Former Vhembe Stars Academy defender, now Dulibadzimu United right-back Sam Mangavha, pulled one back for Dulis to make it 2-1 before Evidence Chiraswa leveled the score at 2-2.
Vhembe Stars Academy’s Nyamukondiwa and Mushayabasa, along with Dulibadzimu’s Evidence Chirasha and Sam Mangavha, became the first four players to score in the Limpopo derby.
With his goal against Dulibadzimu United, Nyamukondiwa has now scored 4 goals this season.
Dulibadzimu United’s Matondo secured his first point since returning to the Beitbridge side in today’s clash against Vhembe Stars Academy.
As it stands, the first leg of the Limpopo River derby ends with no one claiming the bragging rights, as both teams shared the spoils at Dulibadzimu Stadiu,.
Soccer won at the end of the day when dozens of young children accompanied their parents to watch the lovely game.
With people always dozing during day because of awkward yet inteesting World Cup games, Duls and Vhembe kept the crowds on the edge of their seats and will have their game remembered for many years.
While pre-match confusion when Duliz officials locked out Ziyah Media for being from the same stable with their Saturday opponents, no PA systems or cameras played the game but players denied modern technology at matches did.
Senior security officials intervened when a primitive atmosphere and pre-match rivalry tactics employed by the home team were backward and belonged to stone ages.
But later football reigned much to the pleasure of all.