admin
A total of 25 players will not see action with Highlanders, Dynamos, Caps United and Hwange contributing a total of 11 players while relegation threatened police side Black Mambas have the highest number of suspensions, with four players sitting out their match against fellow strugglers Blue Rangers. Authorities at the side should be worried about the disciplinary issues at the club, especially for a police outfit.
“Please note that the players listed hereunder have each accumulated three (3) yellow cards and will be suspended for one match respectively.
“The said players shall not participate in their club’s Castle Lager League matches scheduled for 04 and 05 August 2012,” wrote PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele to the clubs.
Highlanders will miss the services of midfield maestro Mthulisi Maphosa, exciting right back Atlast Musasa and chief striker Graham Ncube. Champions Dynamos will be without striker Rodrick Mutuma and Tawanda Muparati for their match against FC Platinum. The platinum miners have no players on suspension.
In the Colliery battle, six players, three from hosts Hwange and an equal number from the visitors, Caps United, will not be part of the action.
Chipangano will be without Aaron Katebe, Rodwell Chinyengetere and Ocean Mpofu while Makepekepe will have to make do without Evans Gwekwerere, Washington Pakamisa and Tawanda Munyanduri, at a time when they needed all their personnel in full force.
Highlanders’ opponents on Sunday, Quelaton, would not have wanted to troop into Barbourfields Stadium without first choice goalkeeper Winston Chiwetu and former Under-20 international Proud Zireni.
The league had taken a two-week break at the same time allowing reigning champions Dynamos to catch up with the rest of the teams as they were three games behind following the postponement of their matches against Highlanders, Caps United and FC Platinum.
So far the Harare giants have played two of the games and acquitted themselves well, drawing 1-1 against Bosso at Barbourfields Stadium before winning the Harare derby 1-0 against Caps United.
DeMbare finish off their outstanding fixture against The Moneybags at Mandava Stadium on Saturday, which will leave them with the Hwange match which was ordered to be replayed after Hwange coaches Nation Dube and Mebelo Njekwa were assaulted by DeMbare marshals at Rufaro Stadium. The match had ended 4-1 in favour of Dynamos.
A win for DeMbare on Saturday will surely bring a lot of excitement and interest during the second half of the season with referees once again coming under the spotlight especially in matches involving Dynamos and Highlanders.
For Bulawayo soccer lovers, action starts on Saturday when Chicken Inn play host to Harare City at Luveve Stadium where a win for the Adam Ndlovu-coached boys will take them to second spot on the log, four points behind Highlanders.
On Sunday it will be derby time again when Highlanders play host to Quelaton who bravely held them to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago.
With DeMbare taking no prisoners, Bosso will be under pressure to start collecting maximum points and scoring heavily if they want to maintain their seemingly fading grip at the top. Bosso have collected just 11 points out of a possible 21 in the last seven games while no victory has been achieved in their last two games which they drew by identical 1-1 scorelines.
What makes Highlanders’ situation even more precarious is that their rivals in the championship race have been picking up maximum points and in the process closing in on them.
On Sunday coach Kelvin Kaindu is likely to unleash a new twin strikers’ formation with Mkhokheli Dube set to make his “home debut” and would be partnered by Graham Ncube in what is expected to be one of the most feared partnerships in the second half had the 2011 Soccer Star of the Year finalist not been suspended for the game. Young Ozias Zibande or Beavan Chikaka are likely to be thrown into the fray.
Eighth placed Hwange, a massive 13 points behind Highlanders, must believe in the mantra it’s never over until it’s over. They are aiming for a double over a badly wounded Caps United whom they shocked 2-1 in the reverse fixture two weeks ago.
The coalminers still believe they can perform a Houdini act by landing the biggest prize on the domestic football scene come end of season although a defeat to Caps United at the Colliery Stadium will crudely bring to an end their hypothetical assertion.
Surprise package, Shabanie Mine, whose coach Luke Masomere clearly deserves the Coach of the first half of the season accolade together with Kelvin Kaindu and Buffaloes’ Saul Chaminuka, play host to a new look Gunners at Maglas Stadium.
Masomere, who has remained modest on his championship chances, has transformed Shabanie Mine, who have average players, into a potent force that has only lost twice, once at home and on the road, coincidentally to Highlanders at home and Buffaloes on the road.
He also transformed Nelson Mazivisa, whom authorities at FC Platinum saw as an unnecessary expense, into a mean machine that saw him scoring freely for the Chinda Boys. He has scored 13 goals in 15 matches for his paymasters.
List of Suspended Players:
Atlast Musasa, Graham Ncube, Mthulisi Maphosa ( Highlanders F.C.), Moses Muchenje, Blessing Sande (Gunners), Rodrick Mutuma, Tawanda Muparati (Dynamos),Ocean Mpofu, Rodwell Chinyengetere, Aaron Katebe (Hwange), Morris Kadzola (Motor Action), Tawanda Munyanduri, Washington Pakamisa, Evans Gwekwerere (Caps United), Danny Phiri, Thabani Goredema (Chicken Inn), Winston Chiwetu, Proud Zireni (Quelaton), Clive Boroma (Blue Rangers), Tendai Chinungo, Sam Mutenheri, Nicholas Alifandika, Ben Nyahunzvi (Black Mambas)
Fixtures
Saturday 4 August 2012 (Week 15): FC Platinum v Dynamos (Mandava Stadium)
Saturday 4 August 2012 (Week 16): Chicken Inn v Harare City (Luveve), Monomotapa v Motor Action (Rufaro), Black Mambas v Blue Rangers (Morris Depot)
Sunday 5 August 2012: Buffaloes v Hardbody (Sakubva), Highlanders v Quelaton (Barbourfields), Shabanie v Gunners (Maglas), Hwange v Caps United (Colliery)
POSTPONED: Dynamos v FC Platinum (Rufaro)
Online Reporter