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From Lovemore Dube in Victoria Falls
LEAGUE and cup double chasing Highlanders are expected to know their fate about their participation in Africa soon.
Highlanders were banned from participating in African competitions for three years. Bosso were, two years ago, registered to participate in Africa without their consent but after considering their precarious financial position, management decided to forgo the opportunity.
The ban ends next year, meaning that the six-time Premiership champions, Bulawayo and the region’s most successful soccer club will be able to play in continental club competitions in 2015.
Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze confirmed here yesterday that the national association was eager to see Bosso return to African competitions.
“We took up the issue with the Confederation of African Football this year again. The appeal has been taken to the inter-club committee where its due for deliberation and the fact that Caf were eager to give us an audience, means they will definitely make a decision,” said Mashingaidze.
Highlanders who have blown hot and cold this season are second on the Premiership table and seem to be putting their campaign on track. They trail leaders Dynamos by a single point from the same number of games and their clash with DeMbare on 27 October to be beamed live on high definition TV, could be the title decider.
The winners of the league championship play in the Caf Champions League. Besides their promising position in the league race, Bosso are favourites to win the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
They are now left with Caps United, Harare City and How Mine at the semi-finals stage. Bosso gored Buffaloes 3-0 in the quarter-finals in a match played at Mucheke Stadium on Sunday to progress to the semi finals.
Mbada Diamonds Cup is the most prestigious tournament with $130 000 prize money for the winners and a $110 000 Caf Confederation Cup subsidy.
Mashingaidze said the recent poor performance by Zimbabweans teams in the continental competitions had seen the country losing slots in both the Caf Champions League and the Caf Confederations Cup.
Due to previous tournaments where Dynamos had managed to consistently reach the mini-league stage of the competition, Zimbabwe were allowed to field two clubs in the prestigious Champions League and as many in the Caf Confederation Cup.
Online Reporter