Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere, Zimpapers Sports Hub
FULL points awarded to Scottland and FC Platinum by the PSL disciplinary committee have firmly put the two clubs on course in the Castle Lager Premiership title race.
Yesterday the committee released judgments which also saw Dynamos and Chicken Inn on the receiving end. Gamecocks and their player George Majika were found guilty and the club was fined US$5 000 with the match awarded to Scottland on a 3-0 scoreline.
Additionally, Majika was sanctioned for his role in the incident and fined US$1 000. The May 23 match between Scottland and Chicken was abandoned in the 90th minute after the hosts, Scottland, were awarded a penalty.
The match was still goalless when the penalty was awarded and Chicken Inn players and officials did not take it kindly and refused to allow play to continue.
In a separate ruling, it was revealed that Dynamos were found guilty of causing the abandonment of their match against FC Platinum played at Mandava Stadium on June 22.
DeMbare walked off the pitch protesting a penalty awarded to FC Platinum and as a result of that action, the match was abandoned when the scores were at 1-1.
By walking off the pitch, Dynamos coach Saul Chaminuka insisted that they wanted to put across a message that the referee was not fair.
“Consequently, the club has been fined a sum of US$5 000 and the match was awarded to FC Platinum on a three nil score line. Furthermore, Dynamos head coach Saul Chaminuka was also held responsible for his conduct during the match. He has been fined US$4 000 and banned from occupying the technical bench for the club’s next two matches,” said PSL communications and liaison officer Kudzai Bare.
In their next two games, DeMbare are set to take on Manica Diamonds (home) and Chicken Inn (away).
The hefty fine will further compromise DeMbare financial position at a time they are swimming in the murky waters of relegation.
Meanwhile, lanky striker Malvin Hwata has revealed that he was compelled to rejoin Chicken Inn as a result of lack of game time at Simba Bhora.
Hwata, who left the Gamecocks family just before the start of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL), returned a fortnight ago.
“All I can say is that there was too much pressure on us at Simba Bhora to deliver the desired results.
“I was just playing some cameo roles, featuring for about seven to 10 minutes in a match,” said the soft spoken Hwata, who is also a former Cranborne Bullets player.
“Yes, a football player is not assured of a starting place in a team. I had to do self-introspection and I engaged the Simba Bhora coach (Joel Luphahla) and sponsor (Simba Ndoro), telling them of my wish to move.
“I am happy I was granted the permission and here I am at Chicken Inn, a club that has provided home to me for several years. Chicken Inn will always be my home and I’m looking forward to helping the club regain its rhythm in this second half of the season. It will be all about team work.”
During this ongoing mid-season transfer window, the Simbisa brands bankrolled side has managed to get the services of last year’s Golden Boot winner and Soccer Star of the Year first runner up Lynoth Chikuhwa on a six months loan deal from Scottland.
Hwata and Chikuhwa are expected to add more vigour in the Gamecocks strike force that already has seasoned duo of Brian Muza, Michael Charamba, young Kumbirai Mutenha and Walter Vuwa.
Creative and skillful George Majika, pacey Genius Mutungamiri, combative duo of Dominic Jaricha and Joseph Tulani among other Gamecocks midfielders will be expected to play a big part.
Awarding a team 3 points is a reasonable decision but giving it a 3-0 scoreline is unfair to all the other teams that have nothing to do with the abandonment of matches. Goals make a difference in log standings. So why should a team benefit from goals it never scored? Teams must be awarded points and not goals.