adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League has suspended its fixtures due to the national team’s preparations for the final qualifying round of the African Nations Championships against Zambia on Sunday. Premiership action which was supposed to resume tomorrow will restart next week. The games were suspended to allow the Warriors to prepare for the Chan first round qualifier against Mauritius played over two legs last weekend and this past Sunday.
In a statement written to clubs yesterday, the PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said action would resume on 14 August.
“This serves to advise that due to the re-arranged Chan second round match between Zimbabwe and Zambia, we have no alternative but to postpone week 19 and 20 Castle Lager League matches.
“The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League week 19 matches shall now be played between Wednesday 14 August and Friday 16 August 2013.
“We will advise you on the dates for week 20 matches.
“The BancABC Sup8r Cup semi-final matches shall be played on 17/18 August 2013,” reads the statement.
The PSL should be commended for postponing its fixtures as this affords newly appointed national team coach Ian Gorowa an opportunity to select the players that he wants without fear of disrupting league activities.
Gorowa has retained the 21-member squad he had for the return leg of the first round Chan qualifier against Mauritius.
Already some of the clubs were starting to crack their heads on how they are going to prepare for the midweek fixtures as they have at least three players each who are with the national soccer team.
As such, it was going to be difficult for the affected clubs to fulfill league matches.
The teams with at least three players on national duty are Caps United, FC Platinum, Chicken Inn, defending champions Dynamos and Bulawayo giants Highlanders. All these teams are in the championship race.
Bosso who were supposed to play Black Mambas in Harare tomorrow have goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya, Milton Ncube, Peter “Rio” Moyo and the captain of the locally based national team Masimba Mambare in the Warriors camp.
Dynamos’ quartet of Patson Jaure, Augustine Mbara, Devon Chafa and Tawanda Muparati are also with the national team.
Chicken Inn who are fifth on the Premiership table tied with Caps United on 31 points have their skipper Felix Chindungwe, Danny Phiri and the league’s leading goal scorer Tendai Ndoro with the national team while Makepekepe have goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube, Hardlife Zvirekwi and striker Dominic Chungwa.
Former Soccer Star of the Year Charles Sibanda, Ali Sadiki and Nelson Maziwisa are the FC Platinum trio doing national duty.
In a telephone interview yesterday, the national team manager Patrick Mutesva welcomed the move by the league to postpone their fixtures and said they start their preparations for the Zambia game this morning.
“We gave the players an off day today (yesterday) and they should report for camp in time for Tuesday’s 10am training session. So far the coaches have not made any additions with only Augustine Mbara who had been excused last week for family business joining the rest of the guys to make up a 21-member squad.
“There were concerns before the PSL cancelled its games that in the event that we release players to clubs to play their league matches they might pick up injuries.
“What the PSL has done (to postpone matches) shows that they support the national team,” said Mutesva.
Other players in the national team which has been in camp close to a month after participating in the Cosafa Cup in Zambia include How Mine’s striker Simba Sithole, Silas Songani from log leaders Harare City, Hwange defence stalwart Eric Chipeta and Blessing Chimwamuchere of Triangle.
Zimbabwe who lost 2-0 in the final of the Cosafa Cup in Zambia last month will be hoping for a change of fortunes when they take on Chipolopolo.
Zambia come to Zimbabwe bubbling with confidence following their 2-0 win against Botswana at the weekend to set a final round qualifier date with the Warriors.
Warriors Squad
Goalkeeper: Tafadzwa Dube (Caps United), Munyaradzi Diya (Highlanders)
Defenders: Hardlife Zvirekwi (Caps United), Felix Chindungwe (Chicken Inn), Augustine Mbara, Patson Jaure (both Dynamos), Eric Chipeta (Hwange), Blessing Chimwamuchere (Triangle)
Midfielders: Danny Phiri (Chicken Inn), Devon Chafa, Tawanda Muparati (both Dynamos), Ali Sadiki (FC Platinum), Silas Songani (Harare City), Peter Moyo, Masimba Mambare (both Highlanders)
Strikers: Dominic Chungwa (Caps United), Tendai Ndoro (Chicken Inn), Charles Sibanda, Nelson Maziwisa (both FC Platinum), Milton Ncube (Highlanders), Simba Sithole (How Mine)
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