Epoupa eligible to play against Chapungu
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Castle Lager PSL’s leading striker, Christian Epoupa Ntouba, is eligible to play the remaining 36 minutes of Dynamos’ match against Chapungu that was abandoned after 56 minutes in June when goal posts at Ascot Stadium collapsed.
Ntouba missed Dynamos’ 0-1 defeat to champions Caps United, as he was serving suspension for a straight red card that he picked last weekend against Highlanders after his club decided to ignore a decision by Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa to rescind the player’s red card.
The Cameroonian forward, who has scored 12 goals, was red-carded for head-butting Bosso defender Peter Muduhwa in a high tempo game that ended in a 1-1 stalemate at Rufaro Stadium.
The PSL yesterday said Ntouba is eligible to play against Chapungu, indicating that he will serve his suspension in their next match against Shabanie Mine.
“The players who were on the field of play on the day that the match was abandoned are all eligible to play when the game continues on Thursday. This means even the Dynamos striker Christian Epoupa Ntouba is eligible for the encounter, as his suspension doesn’t cover this match.
“As for supporters, they will have to pay to watch the remainder of the game,” said Kudzai Bare, the PSL communications officer.
At the time that the June 18 match was abandoned at Gweru’s Ascot Stadium after the goal post collapsed and city council workers failed to fix it, Dynamos were leading 4-0. Ntouba was on target, with the other goals coming from Denver Mukamba and a brace by Emmanuel Mandiranga.
Chapungu goalkeeper, Talbert Shumba, landed on the post as he retreated trying to save a speculative drive by Dynamos’ Tichaona Chipunza, who had caught the goalie off guard.
Efforts to fix the goal post were in vain and after one hour and 35 minutes of stoppage, match commissioner Israel Mugwagwa, in consultation with referee Martin Chivandire, called off the match.
The PSL ordered that the encounter resumes in the 56th minute when the match was abandoned on the same score line.
In addition, each team will have to meet its own costs for the match.
The league went on to add in their regulations a clause stating that in future, matches called off as a result of natural causes like the Chapungu-Dynamos circumstances should be replayed within 72 hours.
Meanwhile, defending champions Caps United will be in action against Hwange at the Colliery Stadium tomorrow in another rearranged fixture.
Castle Lager PSL Rescheduled matches
Thursday, September 21: Chapungu v Dynamos (Ascot), Hwange v Caps United (Colliery)
***Chapungu v Dynamos match will resume in the 56th minute
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Chicken Inn 25 16 3 6 28 12 16 51
FC Platinum 25 14 9 2 27 12 15 51
*Dynamos 24 15 4 5 39 18 21 49
Ngezi Platinum Stars 25 15 4 6 44 25 19 49
ZPC Kariba 25 11 6 8 26 21 5 39
How Mine 25 10 7 8 22 25 -3 37
Caps United 23 9 8 6 31 23 8 35
Triangle United 25 9 8 8 26 25 1 35
Black Rhinos 25 9 6 10 26 22 4 33
Highlanders 24 9 6 9 21 23 -2 33
Bulawayo City 25 9 5 11 29 32 -3 32
*Chapungu 24 7 9 8 15 17 -2 30
Yadah FC 25 8 6 11 22 30 -8 30
Harare City 25 7 7 11 19 20 -1 28
Shabanie Mine 25 6 8 11 16 25 -9 26
Hwange 25 6 5 13 21 31 -10 23
Tsholotsho FC 25 2 10 13 14 34 -20 16
Bantu Rovers 25 3 3 19 22 52 -30 12
*match abandoned
@ZililoR
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