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Kudzai Bare

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
A tight second half of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League schedule awaits topflight clubs, with more midweek games set to be played to accommodate cup tournaments.

The traditional Chibuku Super Cup, which involves all the league’s teams and whose winners earn the right to represent the country at the Caf Confederation Cup, is likely to be launched next month.

Following an increase in the number of teams from 16 to 18 at the beginning of the year, the league will hold play-offs for the bottom four teams so that they remain with 16 clubs that will compete in the Chibuku Super Cup.

This means the draw for the Chibuku Super Cup will only be done after all teams have played their outstanding fixtures.

Caps United, whose Caf Champions League campaign ended on July 9 when they lost 4-1 to Algeria’s USM Alger in a decisive group match, have a backlog of seven games.

Caps’ outstanding matches are against Dynamos, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum, Black Rhinos, Hwange, Bulawayo City and Highlanders.

PSL communications and media liaison officer Kudzai Bare confirmed that the second half of the season will be “more hectic” than the first.

“It’s going to be an action packed second half of the season and we’re really looking forward to an exciting last half. We’ll have a more hectic programme and the clubs are aware of that. Because of cup games, starting with the Chibuku Super Cup, which should be coming soon, we will have more midweek matches. This means more games for the fans,” said Bare.

Bare said winners of the Premiership title will face the Chibuku Super Cup champions in the last game of the season.

“The last match of the season will be the PSL 25-year Celebration Cup to feature the league and cup champions. Our desire is to have finished the season by December,” Bare said.

Football associations are supposed to submit names of teams that will represent them in the Caf clubs’ competitions, the Champions League and Confederation Cup, by November 30.

With the domestic season likely to spill into December, Zimbabwe might apply for a late entry for their representatives.

@ZililoR