Chronicle Editor
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
PREMIER Soccer League chief executive officer, Kennedy Ndebele has said while they expect to witness a blockbuster Castle Challenge Cup tie between FC Platinum and Bulawayo Chiefs set for Saturday at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane, they cannot afford to compromise the safety and security of fans that will throng the venue.
The cheapest ticket will be US$2 for the rest of the ground with fans who will watch from the VIP set to pay US$5. Reduction in gate charges is likely to draw a big crowd. Traditionally, PSL charges US$3 for the rest of the ground.
The Castle Challenge Cup will mark the beginning of the 2023 season and Pure Platinum Play will be playing in their fourth Castle Challenge Cup while Amakhosi Amahle are making a maiden appearance.
“This is a season’s opener where we have the winners of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship playing against the winners of the Chibuku Super Cup. It’s going to be FC Platinum and Bulawayo Chiefs. So, as a curtain raiser, we are looking forward to an exciting game. For us, exciting means the fans are happy. We are therefore looking at the organisational set-up, how we organise and how the clubs organise for the safety and security of fans,” said Ndebele.
Last weekend, FC Platinum beat Masvingo United in two friendly matches played in the Ancient City. In the first one, they won 2-1 courtesy of goals by Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya and Jarrison Selemani. Club returnee Perfect Chikwende and midfielder Juan Mutudza scored when the champions accounted for their hosts by a 2-0 score line.
Chiefs coach Lizwe Sweswe who led FC Platinum to the 2019 PSL title before leaving the free spending Zvishavane outfit in October 2020 to join FC Talen Vision in the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League, will face his former paymasters for the first time.
Besides Sweswe, two players, striker Chikwende and steely defender William Stima, will also face their former clubs. Chikwende left Bulawayo Chiefs to rejoin Norman Mapeza mentored side early this year, with Stima, who divorced with the reigning champions reuniting with Sweswe at Amakhosi Amahle.
Bulawayo Chiefs earned the Castle Challenge Cup ticket against four-time league champions after edging Herentals 1-0 in a 2022 Chibuku Super Cup that saw Arthur “Diego” Musiyiwa, now with Dynamos, grab the solitary goal of the match at Barbourfields Stadium. -@FungaiMuderere
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