Zimpapers Logo

Innocent Kurira, Sports Writer 

HIGHLANDERS FC recorded their lowest attendance for a home match this season when they hosted Yadah Stars at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday with 5 396 fans paying to watch Bosso win 2-0.

By Bosso’s standards, it was a low crowd but every other league side has struggled to get such numbers for a home game. 

On a normal home game, Bosso’s attendance averages between 7 000 to 8 000 fans. 

The highest number of home fans to attend a Bosso home game was when the Bulawayo side hosted Dynamos in the first round of fixtures in May. 

The paying fans on the day were 13 173.

The Yadah game came at the back of a poor run of form from the Bulawayo giants which saw them lose two consecutive games to Chicken Inn FC and FC Platinum before the abandoned game against Dynamos.

The chaos started when fans at the Soweto End threw missiles onto the pitch before invading the pitch. The Glamour Boys, who had been hosting their home games in Bulawayo due to the unavailability of football venues in Harare, had doubled their lead through Frank Makarati’s header on the 33rd minute. 

Keith Madera opened the scoring as early as in the fourth minute.

Some have attributed last Sunday’s poor attendance to the violence that erupted during the Dynamos match. 

Following the incidents, there was a heavy police presence for matches at Barbourfields Stadium this past weekend. 

First was the Bulawayo Chiefs and Dynamos game on Saturday before yet another heavy police presence for the Bosso game.

Prior to the Bosso/ Yadah Stars game, there were rumuors that police wanted to take advantage of the game to hunt for individuals who were involved in the skirmishes during the Bosso/DeMbare game.

Highlanders communications officer Nozibelo Maphosa however said the poor attendance had nothing to do with the violence but the team’s poor performance. 

“Football is performance-based. When the team is not playing well fans tend to shy away. We are confident that our fans will return in their numbers for the coming games. 

“What is comforting is that our numbers remain higher compared to other teams even on what we may call our worst days. 

“We remain the most followed club in the local league. We are confident that the numbers will increase after our win against” said Maphosa

Dynamos and CAPS United, the other traditional giants of Zimbabwean football, have been struggling to attract more than 5 000 fans. 

Highlanders are away to Hwange this coming weekend. — @innocentskizoe