International football returned to Zimbabwe on Sunday after a five year absence, with the refurbished National Sports Stadium hosting its first CAF approved fixture since the venue was barred from staging international matches in 2021. The return followed the Confederation of African Football’s decision last month to grant the stadium Category 3 approval, clearing it to host a range of continental and international fixtures. The approval came after extensive refurbishment work at the country’s biggest football venue, including improvements to the playing surface, seating, dressing rooms, toilets, water supply and drainage systems.
For Zimbabwean football, the significance of the reopening goes beyond one match. For years, national teams and clubs have been forced to play their international home fixtures outside the country because there was no CAF approved stadium available. The National Sports Stadium’s return means Zimbabwe can once again welcome continental football, while supporters can watch their teams compete on home soil.
Scottland FC provided the occasion for the stadium’s international return, hosting Eswatini champions Nsingizini Hotspurs in the first leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round tie. The match was also historic for Scottland FC, who are making their debut in Africa’s premier club competition after winning the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League title in their first season in the top flight.
The club had initially been set to play the match outside Zimbabwe, with Botswana’s Obed Itani Chilume Stadium earmarked as the venue. CAF’s approval of the National Sports Stadium, however, allowed Scottland to move the fixture to Harare and give Zimbabwean supporters the chance to witness the club’s continental debut at home. Scottland marked the occasion with a 1- 0 victory, although they were made to work hard for the advantage.
Nsingizini were reduced to 10 men as early as the third minute when defender Kingsley Kwakyi was shown a straight red card for an open foot challenge on Moses Shidolo. It was backs to the wall for the visitors from then on as they absorbed wave after wave of Scottland attacks. Despite their numerical advantage, Scottland struggled to find a way through Nsingizini’s organised defence during the first half.
Coach Norman Mapeza introduced Tengeg Neville at the break, and the change eventually paid off. Neville came close to breaking the deadlock on the hour mark when his header brushed the top of the crossbar. The Cameroon forward was not to be denied moments later, firing Emmanuel Jalai’s cutback into the net to finally break Nsingizini’s resistance. Scottland had a chance to put the tie in a much stronger position in the 80th minute when Neville rounded goalkeeper Sibusiso Dlamini, but he could not keep his off balance effort on target. The hosts therefore head to the second leg in Manzini next weekend with a narrow one goal advantage.
Mapeza admitted afterwards that Scottland had not made enough of their numerical advantage, particularly in the first half.
“If you look at our performance in the first half, after they got that red card, I thought we were going to do better. But I think they were very solid,” Mapeza said.
“They looked very, very organised at the back. And when you’re playing a team which is sitting deep, it’s very important to be more creative, especially in the final third. But that creativity wasn’t there, especially in the first half.
The Scottland coach acknowledged the difficulty of breaking down a side defending with 10 men.
“But usually, playing against a 10 men team, it’s very difficult because those guys will fight for their lives. At the end of the day, we won. I’m happy, but I think we could have done better. We had two good opportunities, especially in the second half. We could be talking of 3-0, maybe 2-0.”
The match also brought attention to the absence of veteran forward Knowledge Musona. Musona was not included in the matchday squad, prompting speculation following his involvement in Scottland’s previous match against FC Platinum. Mapeza, however, said the former Zimbabwe international was unavailable because of injury.
“Knowledge had a knock, a hamstring injury against FC Platinum. We took him out that day because we thought he would give us results today, but then when he went for a scan, it revealed that he is going to be out for two weeks,” Mapeza said.
Musona’s absence leaves Scottland without one of their most experienced attacking options as they prepare for the return leg.
For Zimbabwean football, however, the bigger story is that the National Sports Stadium is back. The venue’s CAF Category 3 status provides a home for international football once again, ending years in which Zimbabwean teams had to cross the country’s borders to fulfil continental fixtures. The reopening is expected to reduce the financial and logistical burden on clubs and national teams while restoring the advantage of playing important matches in front of home supporters.
Scottland’s narrow victory therefore carried significance beyond the Champions League result. Their match against Nsingizini was the first step in the National Sports Stadium’s new chapter, and a reminder that Zimbabwean football can once again stage major international matches at home.
