CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) games will go ahead as initially scheduled this weekend following the cancellation of the proposed friendly match between Zimbabwe and Botswana.
PSL had postponed the matches scheduled for the weekend to mid next week to make way for the Warriors international friendly against Botswana which had been planned for Saturday at the National Sports Stadium.
But it emerged yesterday that the Zebras are not travelling to Harare this weekend as they are playing Eswatini in Gaborone, instead. It appears the bungling Zifa Normalisation Committee rushed to announce the weekend friendly game before talking to Botswana.
PSL yesterday announced in a statement that the league games are back on this weekend.
“This serves to advise that following consultations with the Zifa Normalisation Committee, the postponed Castle Lager PSL match-day 27 fixtures will be played on October 12 to 15 as initially communicated,” PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele wrote.
A clash between fourth-placed Dynamos and fifth-positioned Manica Diamonds headline the weekend fixtures with the two title contenders looking to bounce back to winning ways.
Dynamos dropped five points in their last two matches, a defeat to Herentals and a draw against Triangle, to fall further behind in the title race.
But they would be buoyed going into the match after the PSL yesterday awarded them three points from their abandoned match against Highlanders last month on a 3-0 scoreline.
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The Harare giants were, however, slapped with a US$3 500 fine for their fans’ involvement in the violence that led to the abandonment of the match. The DeMbare fans retaliated after a group of Highlanders hooligans rained missiles before storming the pitch.
In addition to losing points, Bosso also had their vice-captain Peter Muduwa fined US$500 and suspended for four games for inciting violence. The ruling saw Dynamos move to fourth spot on the log table with 43 points, eight behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Rejuvenated FC Platinum who have won their last five matches, are in second position, three points clear of Dynamos, while Highlanders are third.
Manica Diamonds have also struggled for form in recent weeks, winning just one of their last five matches.
Their last victory was a 2-0 win over ZPC Kariba early September, which came on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Ngezi Platinum Stars. The Jairosi Tapera-coached side has since lost to Black Rhinos and FC Platinum before last week’s 1-1 draw against Chicken Inn.
Log leaders Ngezi Platinum, who stumbled against FC Platinum last week, will be looking to return to winning ways with a home match against Chicken Inn.
FC Platinum make the long trip to ZPC Kariba searching for their sixth straight league win which would see them closing down on the leaders, with the Norman Mapeza-coached side aiming for an unprecedented fifth consecutive league title win.
Matchday 27 fixtures
Saturday: Herentals v Yadah (National Sports Stadium), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Chicken Inn (Baobab), Manica Diamonds v Dynamos (Gibbo), Bulawayo Chiefs v Simba Bhora (Luveve), ZPC Kariba v FC Platinum (Nyamhunga), Black Rhinos v GreenFuel (Bata)
Sunday: Triangle v Hwange (Gibbo), Highlanders v Cranborne Bullets (Barbourfields), Caps United v Sheasham (National Sports Stadium)
