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Christian Epoupa Ntouba

Mukudzei Chingwere in Gweru
CHAPUNGU say they are unable to abide by the Premier Soccer League (PSL)’s conditions for the remaining 34 minutes of their abandoned Match Day 14 match against Dynamos scheduled for Ascot Stadium tomorrow.

The game ended in the 56th minute when the goalposts collapsed with Dynamos leading 4-0.

The PSL ordered that the two teams play the remaining 34 minutes in Gweru and both teams must use the same players involved in the abandoned game.

However, Chapungu no longer have two players that featured in the ill-fated match and these are Nigel Papius and Ngonidzashe Murisa, who left the club, while four other players are injured.

Murisa and Papius who were on the bench in the June encounter, have joined Blue Swallows and Bantu Rovers respectively.

Ian Nyoni, Blessing Zabula, Raymond Sibanda and Maxwell Mavhuto, who played the original June tie, are all out injured.

Chapungu public relations officer Tawanda Zowa said they had written to the PSL notifying them that they would be unable to meet the terms of the match.

“We have written to PSL notifying them of our position that we have some players, who were in the team on that day but will not be able to make it. We are now waiting for their response. The bottom line is that we will not be able to abide by their directive. Two of our players have since left the club and we have four who are injured and cannot make a match day squad,” said Zowa.

Fans are required to pay for the match and Zowa said it was unfair to charge them twice.

“It is also unfortunate that supporters will have to pay their way into the stadium again when they paid for that abandoned match. The problem is that a football club has other expenses which it incurs to fulfil matches, which will not allow it to host a match without charging fans and with that in mind, we have pegged the gate charges at $2, less than half of the $5 they paid in June,” Zowa said.

When the goalposts collapsed, Dynamos were leading 4-0, through a brace from Emmanuel Mandiranga, a goal each from Denver Mukamba and Christian Epoupa Ntouba.

Chapungu are likely to go into tomorrow’s match with the aim of minimising the damage if it does go ahead while the Glamour Boys will want to add to their goal tally.