Enthusiasm reigns at Zimbabwean football tournament in Gisborne

The victorious Gisborne Zimbabwean team, and their supporters, with the Independence Unit Cup they won on Sunday.

Football, Zimbabwe style, came to Gisborne last weekend and it was a blast.

Music from sideline speakers accompanied the onfield action and the support from spectators rivalled anything heard at Eastern Premiership games this season.

Skill levels ranged from Eastern League second division to Eastern Premiership, but enthusiasm was off the charts.

Four teams contested the Independence Unit Cup, held to celebrate Zimbabwean Independence, which came into effect on April 18, 1980.

Zimbabwean teams from Auckland, Waikato and Gisborne, and a Gisborne Thistle Select, played a round robin at Childers Road Reserve on Sunday. Games were 35 minutes each way.

The day’s competition culminated in a final between the Waikato and Gisborne Zimbabwean teams.

Gisborne won a penalty shootout 3-1 after their goalkeeper, Criss Chiguvare, saved three penalty kicks.

Ordinary time had ended 3-3. Waikato led 3-1 at halftime, thanks to goals from left-winger Joseph Sithole (2) and right-winger Allan Kamote Kamaki.

Gisborne’s first-half goal came from Kudzai Ziwakaya. Second-half strikes from Waseem Mohammed and Gibson Simon took the game to penalties.

The Zimbabwean community in Gisborne is about 20 families strong, and close-knit, according to team members. About 15 of those families take part in local football.

They work in a range of fields, including engineering, construction and diesel mechanics.

Back in Zimbabwe, cricket and football share top billing for sporting popularity, but the Gisborne Zimbabweans are heavily weighted in favour of football at the moment.

Max Mika, of Africa Auckland Stars, on the ball with Euan Cramer, of a Gisborne Thistle Select, in the background during a game in the Zimbabwean football tournament held at Gisborne's Childers Road Reserve on Sunday.

Organisers of the Gisborne tournament included Innocent Nyasha and former Gisborne Thistle player Max Mika, who played for the Auckland team and scored four goals during the tournament.

Mika, 43, is player-coach of Papakura City’s third team.

He was playing for the Auckland team at the last Zimbabwean tournament, held in Auckland at Labour Weekend last year and won by the hosts.

The next Zimbabwean football tournament is scheduled for Labour Weekend at a venue yet to be confirmed.