Midlands referees for big one

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
MIDLANDS-based referees will handle the blockbuster encounter between Highlanders and Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow, Chronicle Sport can confirm.

According to sources in the Zimbabwe Referees’ Committee, Thomas Masaa will be the centre man with former Fifa panel assistant referee Wirimai Muroiwa being the first assistant referee and Major Mususa the second assistant.

Kwekwe-based headmaster Munyaradzi Majoni will be the fourth official while the match commissioner’s duties have been given to Ndabezinhle Ncube of Bulawayo.

All eyes will be on the match officials when the two giants clash with all the hope that they won’t spoil the expected fun by making dubious calls which tend to be a huge fuel into crowd trouble.

Last season, the encounter between the two giants was abandoned in the 40th minute when Midlands-based referee Thomas Kusosa failed to flag Dynamos’ Christian Epoupa who was in an offside position to allow the Cameroonian to equalise for the Harare giants. All hell broke loose afterwards and the match was eventually called off.

However, this season, Zimbabwean referees have been on top of their game with few if any incidences of poor match officiating reported. This has largely been attributed to the professional stance adopted by the committee’s leadership.