Zimbabwe man stabbed during street row over Arsenal FC
By Staff Reporter
A casual discussion over Arsenal Football Club’s performance in the English premiership by two Zimbabwean football fans ended in a row that saw one of them being stabbed by the other in the football crazy southern African country’s border town of Beitbridge.
For the crime, Meluleki Ndlovu (40) was brought before the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court facing attempted murder charges.
According to prosecutors, on the 9th of April 2024, Ndlovu met the fellow football fan who was coming from his brother’s place.
“They started to have a discussion about soccer which mainly focussed on Arsenal Football Club’s performance,” said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement.
“A dispute arose between the two prompting the accused person to insult the complainant.
“The disagreement escalated and the accused person allegedly stabbed the complainant on the stomach with a knife before fleeing the scene.”
The matter was remanded to the 26th of April 2024.
The incident is not the first hostile discussion over English football that has ended in tears among Zimbabwean followers of English football.
Last month, Edmore Mhike from Zimbabwe’s midlands area of Zhombe was stoned to death by his own brother after a debate over a league clash between English giants Liverpool and Manchester City turned hostile.
The particular match that ignited the fatal argument ended in a 1-1 draw.
According to Zimbabwean police, the brothers were watching the match at around 7PM on the day when an argument on who between the popular clubs had the upper hand.
Moyo, arguing that Liverpool had the upper hand, angered Peter, a Manchester City supporter, who began throwing stones at him.
Zimbabwe football fans follow English football more than their own domestic league.
Apart from matches pitying Highlanders and Dynamos, the two clubs that have dominated Zimbabwean football for years, other less popular teams have struggled to fill up match venues with fans.
