Row over Tino suspension

Sports Reporter

IS there ONE rule for the giants of local football and another rule for the minnows of the game?

That is the BIG question some were asking yesterday after it emerged that Herentals leading forward, Tino Benza, has been ruled out of his team’s Chibuku Super Cup semi-final showdown this weekend.

The Students return to Mandava for a showdown against champions-elect FC Platinum on Sunday.

The two sides met in a league match, at the same stadium, on Saturday with FC Platinum edging the contest 1-0.

But, the sequel to their battle has, somehow, been marred by revelations that Benza, the young forward whose father owns the club, has been ruled out of the contest.

This week, the Students received a letter from the PSL competitions manager, Elisha Muroiwa, advising them of Tino’s suspension.

“Please note that the player listed herewith (Tino Benza) (has) accumulated TWO yellow cards and will be suspended for one match.

“The said player shall not participate in their club’s Chibuku Super Cup semi-final scheduled for the 16th October 2022.

“When a match has been postponed, the player shall be suspended during the next match.”

The letter noted that Benza received yellow cards in the match against Ngezi Platinum Stars on August 19, this year, and the game against Manica Diamonds on September 17.

However, Dynamos’ Shadreck Nyahwa, found himself in a similar predicament in the same tournament, in November last year.

But, rather than base their suspension on TWO yellow cards, the PSL went for THREE yellow cards.

“Please note that the player listed here (Nyahwa) has accumulated THREE (3) yellow cards and will be suspended for one match,” the league wrote.

“The said player shall not participate in their club’s semi-final fixture of the Chibuku Super Cup scheduled for the 20th and 21 November 2021.

“Where a match has been postponed, the player shall be suspended during the next match.”

The letter noted that Nyahwa was suspended in Dynamos’ three matches against Herentals on July 1, 2021; against CAPS United on October 17, 2021 and against Black Rhinos on October 31, during the same year.