Div 1 teams turn down invite

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE Arenel Movers-Casmyn Southern Region Division One League encounter has been brought forward to today, after being added to the line-up of the anti-sanctions campaign at Bulawayo’s White City Stadium.

Title chasing Talen Vision and Ajax Hotspurs reportedly declined to move their respective fixtures to White City Stadium.

Vision, who top the table, tied on 55 points with second-placed Bulawayo City, insisted on sticking to their Luveve Stadium home ground where they play army side Indlovu Iyanyathela this afternoon. Ajax are at home to Bulawayo City at Crescent Sports Club.

“The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) approached us saying they want Talen Vision and Indlovu Iyanyathela to play their league match at the anti-sanctions day, but the former expressed its reservations saying they are concentrating on the championship, hence they want to play at Luveve. We then approached Ajax Hotspurs, the home side against Bulawayo City and they too said they are not interested in moving to White City. Because SRC wanted a game to entertain people, we then asked Arenel Movers and Casmyn if they were keen to bring forward their Sunday match and they agreed,” said Fiso Siziba, a Zifa Southern Region board member.

Matches involving Vision and City are now being played simultaneously to avoid manipulation.

Last weekend Vision clobbered Toronto 13-0, increasing their superior goal difference over City to +51. City, who edged Mainline 3-0 have a goal difference of +38.

Vision, who have been ruthless in front of goal, drew 0-0 against Indlovu Iyanyathela and will be out for maximum points against the army side. After the Indlovu Iyanyathela hurdle, Vision will face Bosso 90 and Casmyn, who they beat by identical 1-0 score lines in the first-leg. They wrap up their season with an away trip to Makomo, who they beat 3-1 in the first round.

City will be hoping to collect maximum points against Ajax, a side they thrashed 7-1 in the first-leg.

The tie will be followed by a date against Binga, an away trip to Mosi Rovers in Victoria Falls and end the season with a home game against Arenel.

In the first-leg, City drew 0-0 with Binga, beat Rovers 3-0 and won 5-0 against Arenel.

Fixtures

Today: Makomo vs Mainline (Mpumalanga, 3PM), Ajax Hotspurs vs Bulawayo City (Crescent, 12PM, Talen Vision vs Indlovu Iyanyathela (Luveve, 12PM), Arenel Movers vs Casmyn (White City, 12PM)

Sunday: ZPC Hwange vs Bosso 90 (Ingagula, 12pm), Motomoto vs Toronto (Mpumalanga, 3PM), Binga Pirates vs CIWU (Binga, 3pm), Mosi Rovers vs Makomo (Chinotimba, 3pm)

Table

P W D L F A GD Pts

Talen Vision 24 16 7 1 60 9 51 55

Bulawayo City 24 16 7 1 47 9 38 55

ZPC Hwange 24 12 8 4 28 11 17 44

Bosso 90 24 10 9 5 34 25 9 39

Makomo 22 10 7 5 33 19 14 37

CIWU 24 10 7 7 27 22 5 37

I/Iyanyathela 23 8 8 7 23 14 9 32

Ajax Hotspurs 24 9 4 11 31 30 1 31

Binga Pirates 24 7 6 11 20 31 -11 27

Casmyn 23 7 4 12 23 28 -5 25