Online Reporter
Bruce Chikuni-Sports Reporter
THE Big Three − Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United − have now all forced the abandonment of matches against FC Platinum at Mandava in the last four seasons.
They have taken the same path, preferring to pay the price, rather than letting FC Platinum go on to win the match on the field of play.
FC Platinum have more abandoned matches at their fortress than any team in Castle Lager Premiership during the period under review.
Sunday’s clash against Dynamos at Mandava was abandoned after a penalty was awarded to the four-time champions.
The match was then tied at 1-1 when referee Quedisani Dirwai pointed to the spot in the 75th minute.
Dynamos coach Saul Chaminuka slammed the referee for the decision claiming his men should have been awarded a free-kick before the penalty incident.
This was FC Platinum’s third match to be abandoned against the country’s Big Three in the past four campaigns.
Highlanders were the first during the 2022 campaign.
The Zvishavane miners were awarded a penalty in the late stages of their clash against Bosso.
Some Bosso fans invaded the pitch in protest while others claimed they were seeking safety on the field amid disturbances in the stands.
The match was tied at 1-1.
Last season, their heavyweight fixture against CAPS United ended in a similar fashion.
The only difference was Makepekepe fans felt robbed after Ralph Kawondera was adjudged to have restored parity but his effort was disallowed after the referees ruled he had struck from an offside position.
Juan Mutudza who is now at CAPS United had scored the goal for the hosts in the eight minute.
CAPS United fans invaded the pitch in protest over the decision to rule out Kawondera’s goal.
The Green Machine and coach Lloyd Chitembwe were fined in the wake of this incident.
“The club (CAPS United) was guilty for the abandonment of the match and fined a sum of US$5000, US$500 of which is suspended on the condition that the club is not convicted of a similar offence,” read the judgment.
“The effective fine of US$4500 together with the cost of hearing is to be paid by 27 May 2024.
“Additionally the match has been forfeited and awarded to FC Platinum on a 3-0 scoreline.”
Mapeza pleaded with the grieving teams to let the match officials have the freedom of having a final say.
“I think the game should have continued. You never know what might have happened, maybe, we could have missed the penalty and maybe they could have gotten back into the game and won it.
“You cannot solve the problems by walking out of the pitch, It has happened to us, we have matches where goals were scored from offside, another team was given a penalty, or we were denied a penalty, but you cannot walk out,” said Mapeza.
