THIS was supposed to be a beautiful game. For most of the 89 minutes of regulation time played it indeed was.
But it then turned ugly right at the death.
Played before an appreciative crowd, which cheered every move having braved the chilly conditions, this Castle Lager Premier Soccer tie suffered a pre-mature end at Rufaro yesterday.
It was a bad advertisement of the local game not by the match officials, but by Chicken Inn players and their officials.
As the match teetered towards the finish line with neither side able to break the deadlock, the home side threw the dice for one last time.
The probe saw a loose ball dropping in the path of substitute Walter Musona.
The impressive forward caught it on the volley driving it goal-wards, but as it just picked the trajectory, Chicken Inn’s Dominic Jaricha blocked it with his arm.
Referee Quedsani Dirwai instantly pointed to the spot.
And what followed was a tale not even fit to be told in a boozers’ league.
Irate Chicken Inn players pursued Dirwai, who took to his heels and police had to jump into the field of play to protect him.
Matters were not helped by the visitors’ bench who all sprung up to the field further stirring an already volatile situation.
After close to eight minutes, the Gamecocks appeared to collect themselves readying for the penalty to be taken.
But their fans, housed on the city end stand at Rufaro, wouldn’t have any of it.
They threw some missiles onto the pitch to disrupt the situation, which was also not helped by goalkeeper Donovan Bernard’s antics.
In the ensuing confusion, Bernard was booked while George Majika was shown a straight red-card, but never got to walk off the pitch.
Ten minutes of further bickering followed, Majika never left the pitch and Bernard never got to position himself for the penalty to be taken.
It was getting darker, but not dark enough not for the spot kick to be taken.
In the end, and with no calmness creeping back, and with Bernard reportedly having jumped from one statement to the other as justification for not taking his position between the sticks, Dirwai decided it was time he left the pitch as the match at the ceremonial home of football ended in unceremonious fashion.
Before the penalty, genuinely awarded to the hosts, the game had been cagey, with end-to-end action but, chances coming few and far between.
Nathan Mutasa should have grabbed a brace early in the game, but he fluffed his lines and allowed Chicken Inn to settle well into the game.
They fashioned their chances too, but Brighton Makopa and Joseph Tulani lacked the precision.
The second half belonged to Chicken Inn but they were undone by their own bluntness.
And once Scottland coach Tonderai Ndiraya introduced Mthokozisi Msebe, Tymon Machope and Musona, everything changed.
It was Scottland all over and it became apparent they were bound to grab it at the end.
As they threw questions on their bewildered opponents, they gave themselves a huge chance to pick the maximum points which could have seen them take their tally to 26 points, the same as leaders MWOS, who play GreenFuel in Chisumbanje this afternoon.
But with the match having been abandoned, it will now have to be decided in the PSL boardroom.
PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare said they would issue a statement after receiving match reports from the officials.
“We will issue a statement as soon as we get the reports from the match officials. Until then, we are unable to comment on anything,” she said.
