The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
AS Southern Africa gears up for a historic 20th edition of the COSAFA Cup, the tournament’s record winners, Zimbabwe, are in mourning following the death of the coach who gave them their title breakthrough — Misheck Chidzambwa — in 2000.
Chidzambwa passed away in Harare on Thursday night, just three days after he turned 66.
A birthday cake that had been bought in anticipation of a small celebration for the man affectionately known as Scania, was still in Chidzambwa’s house in Zengeza 5, Chitungwiza on Friday while his body lay in a mortuary.
His elder brother Sunday, who went on to add four more COSAFA titles for Zimbabwe as the Chidzambwa siblings made their footprint on the competition, revealed that Misheck, who had been ill for more than a year, “had been in pain for a long time.”
“Sometimes you tend to think my brother has rested. He had been in pain for a long time, he suffered a lot and it’s painful for the family.
“To imagine that his birthday cake is still in the house makes it more difficult to comprehend,” a distraught Sunday told The Sunday Mail Sport.
Misheck was the first Zimbabwean coach to lift the COSAFA Cup in 2000, exactly 15 years after becoming the first Warriors skipper to win a major trophy — the Cecafa Cup in 1985 — earning him iconic status in the national game.
His brother Sunday then won the 2003, 2009, 2017 and 2018 editions of the COSAFA Cup while Charles Mhlauri added the 2005 title.
Misheck and Sunday together with Mhlauri have ensured Zimbabwe are record six-time winners of the competition ahead of rivals Zambia with five titles and South Africa’s four. As part of events to celebrate the tournament’s 20th anniversary, the regional body has come up with the top five best COSAFA Cup matches in the tournament’s history. This year’s competition is scheduled to get underway in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on July 7.
Among the best five games that have been picked by COSAFA, the Warriors have bitter-sweet memories as they feature in two of them.
The Warriors stunning 0-2 loss to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) at the National Sports Stadium on May 5, 2002 is among the featured games.
According to COSAFA, that result was one of the greatest shocks in the early years of the tournament “and today still remains one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s 24-year history.”
Then the Warriors were under the guidance of Wieslaw Grabowski.
In that game, the Polish coach infamously pulled out Francis Chandida for Samson Choruwa just 11 minutes after sending the then Shabanie Mine midfielder on in the second half as the home crowd became increasingly agitated by the Warriors’ lifeless show.
Zimbabwe’s spectacular 4-2 extra time win in the final against Zambia at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa on June 9, 2018, is also included in COSAFA’s “Best of the Best.”
It was a fourth tournament win for Sunday Chidzambwa, who is the most successful coach in COSAFA Cup history.
However, Zimbabwe’s success in the COSAFA Cup has its foundation in that triumph in 2000, when Misheck’s Warriors beat Lesotho 6-0 on aggregate in the final.
Zimbabwe won the first leg 3-0, courtesy of goals by Luke Petros and William Mugeyi plus an own goal by Thabang Mahlakajoe, at the Sesotho Stadium in Maseru on August 13. They won by a similar margin in the second leg before a 35 000 crowd at Barbourfields a fortnight later, with Robson Chisango, Benjani Mwaruwari and Petros on target.
“It’s painful to lose a person who is like a father to you,” said Mwaruwari, who is now based in the United Kingdom.
“We were together when my journey started, remember he was Clemens Westerhoff’s assistant at the national Under-23 and was also in charge of the Warriors in the last games of the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.
“He did a good job for the country. Chidzambwa was a hard worker, a mentor and a father. It’s a pity we have now lost two great legends in Chidzambwa and David Mandigora,” Mwaruwari said yesterday.
Mandigora died early this month.
“I also want to thank former footballers who have been supporting one another in times of need. Let’s keep it up guys and continue the good work we are doing,” Mwaruwari said.
Former Warriors striker, Petros, who is now a coach at Premiership outfit Whawha, yesterday revealed how Chidzambwa’s yesteryear tips are still applicable today.
“He (Chidzambwa) was an inspiration to many. Some of us who graduated into coaches can still take one or two tricks from his coaching book and implement them today. “He was one of the founding fathers of Zimbabwean football. We have lost a gallant and iconic son of football. May his soul rest in peace,” Petros said.
Many will also remember the late Chidzambwa for masterminding Tanganda’s shock win over CAPS United in the 1993 Castle Cup final at the National Sports Stadium despite the Mutare side struggling in the league and finishing third from bottom that season.
Mhlauri also sent his condolences to Misheck’s family.
“My deepest sympathies to the Chidzambwa family, my thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time.
“He was a such a fine person and we know he fought a good fight. This is a huge loss to our football,” he said from his base in the United States.
Dynamos chief executive officer, Jonathan Mashingaidze, described Chidzambwa as “an affable character who always stood for excellence.”
“Mukoma Misheck’s legacy shall stand out tall for all to see and cherish for posterity. Football has been robbed of one of the illustrious sons of Zimbabwean football.
“Misheck “Scania” Chidzambwa has been taken away from our midst and our hearts are heavy laden with grief as Zimbabwean football has been left poorer,” Mashingaidze said. Chidzambwa’s body leaves today for Mhondoro where he will be buried tomorrow.
COSAFA Cup’s top five games:
NAMIBIA 3 SOUTH AFRICA 2
January 24, 1998
ZIMBABWE 0 ESWATINI 2
May 5, 2002
SEYCHELLES 7 MAURITIUS 0
July 19, 2008
MADAGASCAR 2 NAMIBIA 3
May 28, 2015
ZAMBIA 2 ZIMBABWE 4
June 9, 2018
