ZIMBABWE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: World stars participate in Benjani Mwaruwari's testimonial match in Harare as the former Jomo Cosmos, Auxerre, Manchester City, Blackburn and Portsmouth striker marks his retirement from international football

Record ID: 205213

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: World stars participate in Benjani Mwaruwari's testimonial match in Harare as the former Jomo Cosmos, Auxerre, Manchester City, Blackburn and Portsmouth striker marks his retirement from international football
  • Date: 28th May 2012
  • Summary: HARARE, ZIMBABWE (MAY 26, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SOCCER FANS MAKING THEIR WAY TO STADIUM BANNER INSIDE STADIUM READING "BENJANI MWARUWARI FOUNDATION" VARIOUS OF AFRICAN SOCCER STARS WALKING TO CHANGING ROOMS ZIMBABWEAN PLAYER, BENJANI MWARUWARI WALKING WITH NIGERIAN PLAYER, NWANKWO KANU (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN FOOTBALLER, NWANKWO KANU SAYING: "Uhm... just to come and enjoy the football, we are going to give them a good game." MWARUWARI - CLAPPING HANDS, LEADS FELLOW PLAYERS ON TO FIELD VARIOUS OF AFRICAN STARS WALKING ON TO FIELD ZIMBABWE TEAM PLAYERS WARMING UP MWARUWARI WARMING UP VARIOUS OF SOCCER JOURNALIST, CHARLES MABIKA IN STANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCCER JOURNALIST, CHARLES MABIKA SAYING: "Well, this game here means a lot as far as Zimbabwe is concerned, the Zimbabwean soccer fraternity because this is the first time that it has happened since independence. The last time a testimonial like this was held was in 1979." VARIOUS OF AFRICAN SOCCER STARS WARMING UP MWARUWARI AND HIS FAMILY TAKE A BOW/ FELLOW PLAYERS APPLAUDING SOCCER PLAYERS IN LINE UP JOURNALISTS ZIMBABWEAN OFFICIALS SHAKING HANDS WITH AFRICAN SOCCER STARS MWARUWARI FAMILY AND FRIENDS SEATED IN VIP SECTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) TENDAI ZHAKATA, ZIMBABWEAN SOCCER FAN SAYING: "This was a great game since I was born, it's a good game after Brazil especially played with local guys like Africans." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN MATAMBA, ZIMBABWEAN SOCCER FAN SAYING: "The testimonial match was a lifetime opportunity for us Zimbabweans to see some of the greatest players like Nwankwo Kanu, El Hadji Diouf, Lualua." VARIOUS OF BANNER READING: "THANK YOU ZIMBABWE" GOING ROUND FIELD
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zimbabwe
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Topics: People,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA1GQOPBDK69Q8SPLWJYGKCZF0X
  • Story Text: Thousands of Zimbabwean fans could not miss the opportunity to see a host of African stars play alongside their own renowned soccer export, Benjani Mwaruwari in a testimonial match held to honor the player and mark his retirement from international football.
    The match was also held to raise funds for the Benjani Mwaruwari Foundation, which is aimed at helping the poor in Zimbabwe.
    Nigeria's Nwankwo Kanu and Yakubu Aiyegbeni, DR Congo's Lomana LuaLua, Senegal's El-Hadji and Ghana's John Pantsil among other African soccer stars, took part in the match played on Saturday (May 26).
    "Uhm... just to come and enjoy the football, we are going to give them a good game," said Kanu as they arrived at the stadium.
    Thirty four year-old Mwaruwari has played 44 times for his country. He officially retired from international football in 2010 but still has an active club career.
    The striker and former captain's career began in local teams in Zimbabwe before he moved to Jos Cosmos in South Africa in 1999. He then moved to Europe where he played for Auxerre in France, Manchester City, Blackburn and now Portsmouth.
    Sports Journalist Charles Mabika said the match was historical for many Zimbabweans, who had only seen many of the stars on television.
    "Well, this game here means a lot as far as Zimbabwe is concerned, the Zimbabwean soccer fraternity because this is the first time that it has happened since independence. The last time a testimonial like this was held was in 1979," Mabika said.
    Mwaruwari played in both the Zimbabwean and All-stars teams at the testimonial, which was won by the local side, 7-4.
    "This was a great game since I was born, it's a good game after Brazil especially played with local guys like Africans," said fan, Tendai Zhakta.
    "The testimonial match was a lifetime opportunity for us Zimbabweans to see some of the greatest players like Nwankwo Kanu, El Hadji Diouf, LuaLua," said John Matamba, another fan.
    The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) earlier this year suspended 80 players including the core of the national team and the coach on suspicion of being linked to a match-fixing scandal involving Asian betting syndicates.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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