adminCONFUSION reigned supreme at the National Sports Stadium as ZPC Kariba failed to pitch up for their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League opener against FC Platinum yesterday.
ZPC Kariba were the “home” team because their Nyamhunga Stadium had not been approved to host topflight matches.
But when kick-off time arrived, they were nowhere in sight.
While no official comment could be squeezed out of ZPC Kariba officials, sources at the club said the team had problems with “playing home matches away from home”.
Pure Platinum Play took to the field as per PSL requirements, and after thirty minutes, match officials had a brief meeting with the club’s technical team before the match was abandoned.
The PSL said it would decide on a course of action after receiving the match commissioner’s report.
“We have heard what happened at the NSS but we await the match commissioner’s report because he was in overall charge of that game.
“However, we believe that all the teams received the fixture and knew where they were supposed to be playing,” said the league’s communications officer, Kudzai Bare.
Zifa added to the drama, claiming they re-inspected Nyamhunga yesterday morning and declared it fit to host PSL games.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to inform the football fraternity that following a re-inspection of Nyamhunga stadium on the 17th of March 2018, the stadium has been homologated to host matches of the Premier Soccer League,” read a statement issued by Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela minutes after the game was called off.
Gwesela heads Zifa’s First Instance Board, which three weeks ago condemned Nyamhunga and called “for extensive renovations”.
Before yesterday’s somersault on Nyamhunga only the National Sports Stadium, Rufaro, Barbourfields, Mandava, Luveve, Gibbo and Baobab had been cleared to host PSL matches.
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter