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Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League match between Harare giants CAPS United and new boys Sheasham that was scheduled for Mandava yesterday failed to take place after the Gweru side failed to pitch up.
The Construction Boys, who have been involved in a dispute with the Premier Soccer League over the controversial reversal of the approval of their Bata home ground to host topflight games, stayed away despite the persuasion by both ZIFA and the PSL for them to host the game in Zvishavane.
Makepekepe travelled to Mandava and even went through all the pre-match rituals yesterday before the referees announced the cancellation of the game when it became clear that their hosts were not coming for the clash.
Sheasham were unhappy with the de-homologation of Bata Stadium, just two weeks after they had been cleared to play their home games at the newly refurbished ground and hosted giants Highlanders.
The decision by the PSL Emergency Committee to suspend the ground did not go down well with the Construction Boys. Last week letters were flying in both directions and Sheasham on Friday requested for postponement after Zifa had intervened.
They claimed their lease agreement at Mandava, which they had used as an alternative venue for their early games, had expired. They also said they did not have the resources to travel to Mandava.
But PSL responded on Saturday with guarantees that they had made arrangements at Mandava for the match to proceed.
“We acknowledge receipt and thank you for your letter dated 19 May 2023, and advise as follows; The Matchday 10 Castle Lager PSL fixture programme was released on Tuesday 17 May 2023 wherein it was stated that your match against CAPS United FC will be played at Mandava Stadium.
“The fixture remains unchanged. Please be advised that the PSL booked Mandava Stadium for the match and the stadium is available for the match. All the matchday service providers have been informed of the fixture.
“We appreciate that your Club is ‘determined not to bring the football league into disrepute’ and the league is currently holding your security deposit of $USD4 000 (Four Thousand Dollars) which you paid when you joined the PSL at the beginning of the season.
“In this regard we will be releasing part of this security deposit in the sum of US$2 000 (Two Thousand Dollars) to assist you in fulfilling this fixture. The fixture will not be postponed,” read part of the PSL letter from the PSL chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele to Sheasham on Saturday.
The new boys, however, stood their ground.
Sheasham chairman Reginald Chidawanyika on Friday wrote to Zifa and PSL asking for postponement of the match, citing inability to raise the resources to host the match at Mandava on short notice.
“We must also emphasise that we are not defiant that the match be played at Mandava Stadium, but we are asking for a postponement of the match due to financial constraints and short notice emanating from the above chronological of events.
“Further to that also due to the fact that we still have to re-negotiate a new lease agreement with FC Platinum following the approval of Bata Stadium by FIB which then triggered the lapse of our short-term lease with FC Platinum.
“We sincerely beseech you to consider our request as we are victims of the circumstances that we have no control over as they were largely unforeseen.
“We remain determined not to bring the game of football into disrepute and we apologise for any inconvenience the request may bring to all interested parties,” wrote Chidawanyika
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