adminLast year, the semi-finals and final of the same tournament were handled by referees from Zambia and South Africa after complaints of sub standard performances by local referees that saw some officials being suspended on allegations of match-fixing.
PSL board member competitions, Tawengwa Hara said the league had confidence in the local referees and sees no reason to bring in foreigners.
“We see no reason why we should not use our own match officials but again we will remain guided by what the sponsors want or Zifa, as owners of these referees, say about the whole issue,” said Hara.
Efforts to get a comment from Mbada corporate services executive George Manyaya were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered for the better part of yesterday.
Troubled Highlanders return to Hwange this weekend for a Mbada Diamonds Cup quarter-final clash with an equally deep in thought Monomotapa at the Colliery Stadium on Sunday.
Highlanders’ players have been on industrial action since last week over unpaid bonuses amounting to well over $15 000 while Monomotapa are worried about the release of the Asiagate report which might see a number of their players banned or suspended.
Monomotapa went to Malaysia masquerading as the Zimbabwe national team at the height of the Asiagate madness.
Away from the off field chaos affecting the two clubs, Highlanders will obviously want to exert some measure of revenge after the Harare side hammered them 3-0 in a league encounter at Rufaro Stadium and in the process halted their unbeaten run.
Tshilamoya will also hope to erase the 2011 Mbada Cup memories where they were knocked out 6-7 on penalties by Division One bound Zimbabwe Saints at the same stage of the tournament.
To get to the quarter-finals, Bosso beat Harare side Blue Rangers 2-1 in a tension-filled match at Barbourfields Stadium while Monomotapa were 3-2 winners over relegation bound Hardbody.
The match is one of four quarter-final matches lined up across the country with defending champions Dynamos playing host to Gunners at Torwood Stadium also on Sunday while at Gibbo Stadium, army side, Buffaloes take to the field against former Cup Kings Caps United.
DeMbare laboured to a 4-2 penalty shootout win over little Quelaton after the two teams were 1-1 apiece in regulation time at Rufaro Stadium. Gunners came from a goal down to beat a misfiring Chicken Inn 2-1 at Pelandaba Stadium in Gwanda.
Midlands fans will be treated to a derby when neighbours, FC Platinum and Shabanie Mine clash at Mandava Stadium with their eyes firmly fixed in the $100 000 prize money for the winners.
FC Platinum were 2-0 winners over Harare City, the same scoreline Luke Masomere’s Shabanie Mine registered over Hwange.
The winner at the Colliery will clash with either Buffaloes or Caps United while the winner between Dynamos and Gunners will set a date with the king of the Midlands derby.
A mouth watering final between the Castle Lager Premiership title chasing rivals Highlanders and Dynamos looms as the two giants can only clash in the final. They are also yet to finish their Battle of Zimbabwe episode after the first one ended 1-1 at Barbourfields Stadium.
This year, the winners will take home $100 000 — up from $75 000 — in addition to a $150 000 subsidy for taking part in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2013.
Quarter Finals
Match 1: Highlanders vs Monomotapa (Colliery).
Match 2: Dynamos vs Gunners (Torwood).
Match 3: Buffaloes vs CAPS United (Gibbo Stadium).
Match 4: Shabanie Mine vs /FC Platinum (Mandava).
Semi Finals
Winner Match 1 vs Winner Match 3; Winner Match 2 vs Winner Match 4.
Online Reporter