adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
SOUTHERN Region Soccer League clubs should brace for more midweek games due to a hectic calendar, Zifa Southern Region board member Jabulani Chinyangarara said yesterday.There had been an outcry on social media with teams in the league accusing Zifa Southern Region of favouring Black Boots FC by altering fixtures to suit the police force side forcing Chinyangarara to respond to their concerns.
Teams had questioned why Black Boots, who were in action against Hwange Juniors at the Colliery yesterday, take on Amagagasi tomorrow in Victoria Falls.
Amagagasi were in action on Wednesday against Bulawayo City at Luveve Stadium on Wednesday and normally play their home matches on Sundays.
“This is not the first time that Black Boots has had preferential treatment since the start of the season and you begin to wonder what really is going on. There was a time that they were supposed to play Ntabazinduna on a weekend but the fixture was moved from a weekend to accommodate Technosphere, who appeared to be relatively easy opponents for Black Boots. Ntabazinduna were then made to play a midweek game. Now Black Boots are made to play an away game against Amagagasi on Saturday instead of Sunday. You wonder what is going on at Zifa,” said a club official.
However, Chinyangarara said institutional teams like ZPC Hwange, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services-funded Ntabazinduna, Nust and Black Boots, who participate at their inter-organisational games, are bound to miss some of the league games, forcing his association to reschedule the fixtures. Rearranged Southern Region matches are played in midweek.
Chinyangarara defended the decision to have Black Boots play Amagagasi on Saturday saying it is meant to cut costs for the police side which is already in Hwange having played Hwange juniors.
“We want teams to catch up so that we have a flawless programme. Black Boots had outstanding matches since they had asked to be excused because of their participation at the Commissioner’s Gala. They asked to play the outstanding match and league game within a week so that they cut costs and we agreed. We normally consult clubs involved before we release fixtures for rescheduled games,” said Chinyangarara.
Black Boots have failed to live to their pre-season championship favourites tag, and are languishing in the bottom half of the table.
They are hard-pressed to get their act together if they hope to rekindle their title hopes.
Leaders ZPC Hwange remain the only unbeaten team in the league after nine games. The Hwange side face Nust in Bulawayo tomorrow.
Former champions Bulawayo Chiefs, who are second on the table, have a tricky tie against Technosphere at Raylton tomorrow.
Technosphere come to Bulawayo with their morale high after walloping title contenders Bulawayo City 3-0 in Hwange.
Another exciting encounter is at Ntabazinduna where the prison side hosts Bantu Rovers.
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Amagagasi v Black Boots (Victoria Falls), Bulawayo Chiefs v Technosphere (Raylton), Nust v ZPC Hwange (Nust), Indlovu Iyanyathela v Trumus (Brady Barracks), Casmyn v Makomo (Turk Mine), Old Nic Mine v Mpumalanga (Old Nic Mine), Ntabazinduna v Bantu Rovers (Ntabazinduna)
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