The country’s top football teams are through to the quarter finals of the prestigious Mbada Diamonds Cup but the talk of the football family is something else.
Fans left Rufaro Stadium on Sunday in a wave of debate as to whether juju exists in Zimbabwean football after a black cat had entered the field of play and headed towards the goalposts where the winning goal was scored.
The cat was greeted with a huge response from the stands as it made a circle on the field of play before heading towards the goalposts where Harare City later got their goal through Silas Songani.
As the fans trickled out of the stadium, the story on their lips was that of the black cat and more importantly that it ran towards the gate which registered the winning goal.
Most of the fans jockingly said the black cat was a sign of black magic on the part of the winning team, Harare City, who are also the custodians of Rufaro Stadium.
However, coach Bigboy Mawiwi during the post match press briefing refused to be drawn into a discussion on juju.
Belief in juju is rife in Zimbabwean football and the Premier Soccer League had to introduce measures to stop broad daylight display of such actions which many said were tarnishing the image of the Zimbabwean game as some players were even seen urinating on the field of play in their belief that it would neutralize opponents.
For beating Monomotapa, Harare City join Dynamos, Chicken Inn, Buffaloes, Hwange, Highlanders, Caps United, and How Mine, in the quarter finals of the $1 million tournament.
The winners of the tournament will play in the 2014 Caf Confederations Cup.
HARARE —
