The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Sports Reporter
MUCHEKE Stadium in Masvingo will tomorrow play host to a rare 24-minute replay pitting Eastern Region Division One sides, Mucheke Pirates and Mutare City Rovers that will go down in history as the first ever of its kind in the region and probably in the country.
Following this week’s similar ruling on the abandoned Premier Soccer League match between Dynamos and Chapungu, the top-flight league replay might now come as the second match to have a replay of the remaining minutes.
Mucheke Pirates and Mutare City Rovers resume their match on a 2-1 scoreline in favour of the hosts who had taken the lead when it was aborted. In a landmark ruling, ZIFA Eastern Region Division administration ordered a replay of the remaining 24 minutes of the match. ZIFA Eastern Region chairman, Davison Muchena, said they reached the decision after putting into consideration that both teams led to the abandonment of the game.
“We decided to have the match replayed for the remaining 24 minutes, simply because both teams led to the abandonment of the game. Mucheke Pirates did not come to the match venue with licences and had even fielded a player who was not registered. Mutare City duly complained and refused to have the match played with Mucheke Pirates players having no licences.
“They were very right in doing so and the match was delayed for more than 45 minutes. However, Mutare City then erred in accepting to kick the ball, yet the stipulated 45 minutes delay had elapsed. They then complained about poor lighting at Mucheke Stadium later, yet the referee, the match commissioner and the Mucheke Pirates captain, argued that it could still be played. Only the Mutare City Rovers captain argued that it was dark. Given the evidence provided and the statements made during the hearing, we found it proper, according to the laws of the game, to have it replayed for the remaining minutes,” said Muchena.
Mutare City Rovers reckons that they have a chance to jump to the summit of the table if they manage to keep a clean sheet and breach the Mucheke Pirates defence twice in 24 minutes.
Second placed Mutare municipality owned outfit has 29 points from 14 matches, while log leaders Buffaloes are one point ahead of them. Chief of Protocol for Mutare City Rovers, Benjamin Chindima, said they were travelling to Masvingo with nothing than three points in mind.
“I think it will be a difficult game for us given that the hosts are in lead already and obviously they will come with the aim of defending the lead. More so, they will be playing at home. We are aware what three points mean to us in this match. That is why we will try our best to get two goals and make sure they will not score. Our coaches and players are raring to do that and it is good that morale is high in the camp. We have no reason to doubt ourselves,” said Chindima.
The ZIFA Eastern Region league takes a mid-season break this weekend. Other teams that will use the mid-season break to cover up for their games in hand include Renco/Mtoko and Mukanya Bullets/Tenax. Tenax will play midweek on August 8, while the date for the match pitting Renco and Mtoko is yet to be announced.
The Eastern Region administration is aiming at starting the second half of the season with all the teams at par in terms of matches played.
