Simba Bhora . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . .0
(Match abandoned after 76 minutes)
DOMESTIC football sank to a new low as a Chibuku Super Cup quarterfinal clash between Simba Bhora and Highlanders at Wadzanayi Stadium was abandoned in the 76th minute after the visitors protested the awarding of a penalty to the home side.
Matchday referee Cecil Gwezera pointed to the penalty spot after adjudging that Peter Muduhwa had fouled Tinashe Balakasi inside the area.
Highlanders players protested the decision and refused to take their position to allow the kick to be taken, forcing the referee to eventually call off the match following a lengthy 40-minute stoppage.
This is the second topflight match to be abandoned this season after the FC Platinum versus Caps United league clash at Mandava Stadium ended prematurely.
Simba Bhora coach Tonderai Ndiraya and his Highlanders counterpart Kelvin Kaindu expressed disappointment on the premature end to the match which was beamed live on television, saying it does not paint a good picture for domestic football.
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The two teams' league clash at the same venue was also marred by incidences which almost forced the match to be abandoned with Highlanders protesting a goal.
"It's very disappointing, I'm really disappointed,” Ndiraya said.
"In this day and age, we don't expect such things to happen. If you disagree with the referee, there are platforms to take those issues to. It's unfortunate that the game had to end this way. We must learn to respect the sponsors, the supporters and the viewers on TV. People are paying a lot of their monies, investing their time for them to be entertained and in the end this is what we give them back. It's sad. In whatever form, this is unacceptable. When the referee has made a decision, there is no way you can change the decision and unfortunately we have seen what we have seen today, which is bad for our football."
Kaindu distanced himself from the chaos which was also watched by new Warriors coach Michael Nees.
The coach said he was not the one who made the decision to block the players from continuing with the game.
Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe could also be seen instructing the players back on to the field from his VIP seat, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
"For me to stand here it's difficult because I'm accustomed to giving interviews at the end of 90 minutes," Kaindu said.
"It's unfortunate that the game ended like this. It's not good for sponsors."
"It was not my decision [not to allow players back]. Even Fifa has introduced VAR [video assistant refree] to avoid human error. The referee tried to manage the game, unlike the last time we played here. This is not good for football even me as a coach I wouldn't want to coach a team that walks out of the field. It's not good, but also what measures are being taken for decisions like that? If it was a penalty, maybe the first assistant referee was in a better position, but for the referee to move from where he was to come and see the player [Machope] in the box and decide that it's a penalty, it becomes a bit challenging. It's not good for football, for the sponsors and the fans who come to enjoy the game. People are putting in a lot of money, we also spend a lot of money to travel all the way to come here to fulfil the match which at the end of the day could not finish."
Prior to the abandonment of the match, the referee had also suspended the game for five minutes as supporters from the two teams fought running battles on the stands.
Bricks could be seen flying between the two sets of supporters before the police intervened to calm the situation.
Barely a minute had been played following the stoppage when Muduhwa clattered onto the back of Machope and the referee pointed straight to the penalty spot, much to the anger of the Highlanders players who argued that the foul happened outside the box.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) disciplinary committee is expected to determine the outcome of the match.
Meanwhile, the PSL conducted a draw for the Chibuku Super Cup semifinals soon after the abandoned clash at Wadzanayi Stadium.
Simba Bhora or Highlanders will face last year's finalists Ngezi Platinum Stars who beat Caps United on Saturday while the winner between Dynamos and Yadah will face Manica Diamonds who booted out FC Platinum.
The clash between Dynamos and Yadah was postponed due to the former's participation in the Caf Confederation Cup this weekend.
Chibuku Super Cup
semifinal draw
Ngezi Platinum Stars v Simba/Highlanders
Dynamos/Yadah v Manica Diamonds
