It was chaos at Bata Stadium on Wednesday afternoon during the top-of-the-table clash between Sheasham and Chapungu in the ZIFA Central Region Soccer League, as referee Tawanda Mashindi halted the game in dramatic fashion. After a series of controversial calls, Mashindi shocked everyone by requesting police to escort his young son to safety, fearing fan backlash.
Mashindi, who had already enraged Chapungu fans by denying a clear penalty when Sheasham defender Nyasha Mpofu handled the ball inside the box, found himself under immense pressure. Despite furious protests from Chapungu players and officials, Mashindi waved play on, sparking outrage in the stands.
The tension reached boiling point when the referee, visibly rattled, confided to one of the players that he was worried about his son’s safety amid the hostile atmosphere. Without warning, he stopped the game and called on police to whisk his six-year-old son away from the crowd, eventually moving him to the VVIP enclosure.
The game ended in a goalless draw, but fans left feeling the match was marred by the refereeing trio of Mashindi, Major Mususa, and John Tanyanyiwa, who they believe spoiled what should have been a thrilling contest.
