THE much-awaited delivery of the judgment on the case of an abandoned match between Karoi United and Scottland yesterday failed to take place as promised after the former requested time to submit a mitigation report having been found guilty in the matter.
However, Scottland’s bid for promotion to the Premier Soccer League from the Northern Region Division One Soccer League has been boosted by the Disciplinary Committee verdict which found Karoi United guilty of causing the abandonment of their league match last month.
The match was stopped in the 82nd minute because the referee claimed he was experiencing pain on “one of his testicles” after being hit by a “hard object”.
He also said he was bleeding from the sheen where he was also struck by a missile.
Northern Region Division One Soccer League yesterday released a statement pledging to deliver the judgment no later than Monday.
“In the disciplinary proceedings for the Northern Region for the abandoned match between Karoi United FC versus Scottland FC. After delivery of the ruling on the guilty verdict of Karoi United FC, their lawyer requested for time to submit mitigation in writing by close of business on Friday November 1.
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“The ruling on the penalty shall be delivered by the Disciplinary Committee by Monday November 4 latest,” the statement read.
Karoi United were charged with “Contravention of Section D2 (2.1) of the Northern Region Soccer League Rules and Regulations”.
The charge was put out as follows: “In that on September 15, 2024 at Chikangwe Stadium in Karoi, the accused being a participant in a league football match against Scottland FC team, allegedly committed acts of misconduct which brought the game of football into disrepute, through supporters who threw missiles in the field of play and assaulted the match referee Matthew Dingo on the groin area (balls).
“As a consequence of the alleged violent conduct by the accused’s supporters, the environment became toxic and unsafe for the match to continue and the match was resultantly abandoned.”
The Disciplinary Committee learnt that:
“He (Dingo) said at the 82nd minute of play, accused’s goal keeper feigned injuries as a way of employing delaying tactics. The scoreline was Karoi United FC 1:1 Scottland FC. That he had previously given the Karoi FC goal keeper several verbal warnings as he had severally employed delaying tactics.
“At this time, the keeper laid down and removed his gloves and foot wear. That he approached the said goalkeeper wielding a yellow card. While interacting with the goal keeper standing about two metres from the latter, he says he was hit on his groin area by a hard object. That a second one hit his sheen and it bled. That some other missiles were thrown in his direction.
“He did not see exactly what hit him as he was in extreme pain. He was later assisted to get up by his assistants and the match commissioner. He went to the changing rooms and there he was attended to by the medics from both teams. He says he sustained a bruise on his sheen and was swollen on the groin and one testicle which was hit.”
Match commissioner Kanzvimbo Kanzvimbo said the match could not continue because the environment was not safe.
Karoi United contended that the referee was hit by the ball and that the Scottland supporters caused mayhem.
They felt the match could have continued.
The Disciplinary Committee is expected to award Scottland the three points on Monday notwithstanding Karoi United’s mitigation.
Depending on the results from matches involving title-chasing MWOS FC and Scottland tomorrow, the latter could climb to the top of the log by Monday.
MWOS carry a one-point lead going into tomorrow’s match, but if Scottland win tomorrow against Herentals Under-20, they will shoot to the top of the log after conclusion of their case against Karoi United on Monday.
If the two teams win the two matches each that are left of the season, Scottland will finish on top with a two-point cushion.
MWOS no longer have their own destiny in their hands and now depend on other teams to do the job for them against Scottland.