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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
TALEN Vision FC have been kicked out of the Southern Region’s Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Trukumb Mining Enterprises Top Eight tournament after being found guilty of fielding ineligible players during the quarter-finals.

Talen Vision fielded three “guest” players Newman Sianchali, Lee Munyorove and Congolese striker Boyd Patrick during their first round’s match against ZPC Hwange played at White City Stadium on Saturday.

Talen Vision emerged 4-3 winners after the penalty shoot-out having played a one-all draw.

An ad hoc disciplinary committee assigned to deal with disciplinary issues arising from the tournament resolved on Monday night to kick Talen Vision out of the tournament and bring in ZPC Hwange who had played the match under protest.

Augustine Ndlovu, the Zifa Southern Region administrator confirmed that ZPC Hwange will play Bosso 90 in this afternoon’s semi-final match slated for Hartsfield Ground.

“The committee met on Monday evening and resolved to reinstate ZPC Hwange into the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Trukumb Mining Enterprises Top Eight tournament after noting that their quarter-final opponents Talen Vision had used three players who were not supposed to play in the tournament. The rules of the tournament stated that only players who featured or were registered for the 2016  season may participate,” said Ndlovu.

Bosso 90 beat Indlovu Iyanyathela 2-1 in the quarter-finals, getting their goals from Ray Lunga and Nqobizitha Mpofu while the army side got their consolation from Saviours Sibanda.

With ZPC Hwange squaring off with Bosso 90, the other semi-final match will be between Amagagasi and ZRP Bulawayo.

Amagagasi needed penalty shootouts to edge Black Boots 5-4 in the quarter-finals having been tied 0-0 in regulation time while ZRP Bulawayo beat Southern Region Division One Soccer League Bantu Rovers 1-0 courtesy of an Eriko Phiri strike.

Meanwhile, winners of the inaugural tournament, which is sponsored to the tune of $10 000, are set to walk away $2 400 richer with the runner-up pocketing $1 500.

Teams which lose this afternoon’s semi-finals will each get $700 with the teams that failed to reach the last four stage each getting $300.

@ZililoR.