From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Aaron Barnhart)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS: ZIMBABWE: SOUTH AFRICAN SOCCER FAIL
Date: 21 Aug 92 19:14:50 GMT
Organization: Gagme Public Access UNIX, Chicago, Illinois.
Originator: @gagme

Title: ZIMBABWE: SOUTH AFRICAN SOCCER FAILS FIRST INTERNATIONAL TEST


harare, aug 17 (ips/alejandro kirk) --the south african national
soccer side arrived in zimbabwe proclaiming their obvious
triumph, but went home humiliated.

in their first international outing in 22 years, they were
trounced 4-1 by zimbabwe in sunday's africa cup of nations
qualifier.

south arica and zimbabwe, along with zambia and mauritius are
part of group five of the 'africa cup of nations.'

although the local press played down the political
implications attached to the zimbabwe-south africa game, the
confrontation was a matter of pride for some 60,000 spectators
at the collosal national sports stadium in harare and millions
of tv viewers around the country.

soccer is one of the many evidences of the sharp-edged
boundaries still dividing zimbabwean society, between the rich
white minority and a largely impoverished black population.

whites play cricket, rugby and dominate the few sports
facilities available in zimbabwe. they are the zimbabweans who
go to the olympics, but they don't go to football stadiums, they
do not participate in the country's passions, soccer among them.

just a handful of whites were at the national stadium to
support the zimbabwean team and the victory celebrations after
the game on the streets of harare were watched with obvious
indifference, if not comtempt, by stony-faced white zimbabweans
from the closed windows of their cars.

the south african racially mixed team, composed of eight
black and three white players sang the black national anthem,
''nkosi sikelele iafrika'' (god bless africa), and played under
the south african football association rather than their
national flag.

despite defiant journalistic articles praising the abilities
of zimbabwean players, few in the country truly believed in
their side's chances to defeat what is regarded, in all
respects, as the sub-regional superpower.

the stadium roared when the national team showed up on the
field, 45 minutes before the game, and roared even louder when
english first division goalkeeper bruce grobbelar appeared alone
in a theatrically staged move to boost the team's morale.

grobbelar, the only white zimbabwean player, was warmly
welcomed not only as one of the few nationals succeding in the
international arena, but as the son coming back home, after
giving up his zimbabwean citizenship in 1985. (more/ips)


zimbabwe: south africa (2)

the liverpool player's case was subject to high-level
negotiations in the days leading upto the game, and his
zimbabwean citizenship was restored only two days before the
match through a personal decision by the minister of home
affairs, dumiso dabengwa.

the heralded south african 'shu shine piano' footballing -- a
carefully planned combination of passes and moves -- quickly
clashed against the enthusiasm and creativity of the zimbabwean
players, loudly encouraged by their fans.

the zimbabwean team was assembled two weeks before the match
by calling home their players abroad, in england, belgium and
switzerland. one of them, peter ndlovu, with the english first
division side coventry, proved to be key to the triumph scoring
two of the goals.

this defeat, local analysts conclude, only stresses the
damage done to south african sports by 22 years of international
ostracism due to the apartheid regime, still in power.

according to current agreements, south africa is back in the
international arena but only under the respective sports
organizations' flags and without their national anthem . its
rights will be fully returned only when a democratically elected
government takes over in the country. (end/ips/ak/oa/92)



-- 
Aaron (Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us) -- posting from Evanston, Illinois