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BLACK Boots have been toppled from the top of the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League following the abandonment of their clash with Division Two bound Old Nic Mine on Saturday.
The game was abandoned in the 89th minute with Black Boots leading 2-1.
The goldminers walked out of the Fairbridge ground protesting the hosts’ second goal scored by Stanley Ngala.
James Phiri had scored Black Boots’ opening goal with Old Nic Mine getting theirs from Prince Moyo.
Saturday’s sad development means that the result will now be decided in the Zifa Southern Region board room after studying the referee’s report.
“I heard that the game (Black Boots v Old Nic Mine) didn’t end but I don’t have finer details. Once we get to the office on Monday we’ll have the finer details from the referee’s report that will be forwarded to the board which in turn will convene a meeting to map the way forward. You can talk to the chairman (Musa Mandaza) for guidance on the matter,” said Zifa Southern Region administrator, Augustine Ndlovu.
Mandaza was not available for comment.
The abandoned game has brought a twist to the title race that has seen Black Boots sliding down two places to position three tied on 42 points with Hwange’s Technosphere and Tsholotsho FC who won their respective matches.
However, precedents have been set before and the Support Unit side might after all get maximum points.
Technosphere were the weekend’s biggest winners pummelling former champions Quelaton whose franchise was relinquished to the National University of Science and Technology 5-1 in Hwange. They are at the top of the log due to a superior goal difference.
Tsholotsho kept their title hopes alive with a 3-0 home win over Elephant FC who were missing the services of head coach Bekithemba “Super” Ndlovu who is attending a Caf B Licence coaching clinic in Bulawayo.
Fourth-placed Plumtree Chiefs, who were on a bye, last weekend travelled to Hwange were they scrapped a 2-1 victory, taking their points’ tally to 40, two behind the leading pack.
Ntabazinduna recovered from a 2-4 drubbing by Technosphere to collect maximum points in Hwange after narrowly beating Hwange Juniors 1-0. The correctional services side are tied on 40 points with Plumtree Chiefs but they have an inferior goal difference.
In the murky relegation waters, New West City collected a vital point on the road which lifted them a place up the ladder to position 10 with 20 points following their 2-2 draw with ZPC Hwange. It was a result that effectively ended the electricity generators’ championship hopes as they are now six points behind the pacesetters with five games left.
Results
Saturday: Technosphere 5-1 Quelaton, Mpumalanga 1-2 Plumtree Chiefs, Tsholotsho FC 3-0 Elephant FC, ZPC Hwange 2-2 New West, Hwange Juniors 0-1 Ntabazinduna, Black Boots 2-1 Old Nic Mine (game abandoned 89th minute), Portland Cement 0-3 Trumus (walkover)
Online Reporter