Harare Derby brings down curtain to first half of season

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

DYNAMOS and CAPS United fans will be hoping for a big turn up by their teams in the Harare Derby as the giants are set to provide the last big spectacle on Sunday at the National Sports Stadium before the league takes a two-week mid-season break.

The derby, which has always been one of the major highlights on the calendar, always provides the platform for the giants to fight for the bragging rights in the capital more than anything else.

This has been the norm since the late 1970s when Makepekepe stormed into topflight football. The stage has often been explosive although the games have of late played under different conditions.

The two Harare giants will need to give their fans something to talk about for the next 20 days when the league action will be on break.

The Premier Soccer League announced yesterday that there will be no domestic football until June 25 as they observed the annual mid-season break.

The decision by the league’s leadership however has received mixed reactions mostly from the fans. The break comes just after the league had missed a week to attend to the issues of violence and hooliganism.

In fact, this will be the third break when factoring in the extended festive holidays and AFCON break, which came just after the first three games of the campaign and the season-opening Chibuku Super Cup.

The clubs went on a two-month break then and needed a fresh “pre-season” training before resuming the program. The league said the upcoming break will only be two weeks.

“This serves to advise that the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League will take a two week break after the conclusion of Match day 17 fixtures scheduled for 3-5 June 2022.

“PSL matches will resume on Saturday 25 June 2022. We advise clubs to liaise with stadium owners to ensure that all the necessary stadium maintenance work is done during this period. We are grateful to all our stakeholders for their continued support,” said the PSL statement.

Fixtures:
Tomorrow
Yadah v Bulawayo Chiefs (NSS)

Saturday:
Herentals v ZPC Kariba (NSS), Bulawayo City v Black Rhinos (Barbourfields), Cranborne Bullets v FC Platinum (Sakubva)

Sunday:
CAPS Utd v Dynamos (NSS), Highlanders v Harare City (Barbourfields), Manica Diamonds v Tenax (Sakubva), Triangle v Chicken Inn (Gibbo), Whawha v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Ascot)