Sikhumbuzo Moyo , Senior Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League has postponed the Chibuku Super Cup tie between ZPC Kariba and Harare City after the electricity generators’ players and technical staff tested positive for Covid-19.
The development comes amid reports that more than 20 players and officials tested positive since the second return of football was announced last week.
The ZPC Kariba and Harare City match was set for the National Sports Stadium today.
In a statement the PSL said the decision was taken to allow the affected individuals to comply with Covid-19 protocols regarding self isolation.
“This serves to advise that the Chibuku Super Cup match between ZPC Kariba FC and Harare City FC has been postponed to Wednesday 7 July 2021. This has been necessitated by the need for ZPC Kariba FC players and officials to comply with Covid-19 protocols regarding self-isolation. We remind the clubs to strictly adhere to the Covid-19 protocols,” reads the PSL statement.
Reports last week indicated that five members of the ZPC Kariba technical staff tested positive following a round of tests. It’s not known how many players tested positive, but it could be two or more based on the PSL’s announcement last week that if a minimum of seven members of one team test positive, their match will be postponed to a later date.
Meanwhile, sources told Chronicle Sport that there were a number of positive cases from one of the four Bulawayo-based sides that are using Barbourfields Stadium as well as the six using the National Sports Stadium, with the combined figure said to be just over 20.
Highlanders, Chicken Inn, Bulawayo City and Bulawayo Chiefs use Barbourfields, while Dynamos, Caps United, Harare City, ZPC Kariba, Yadah and Herentals use the National Sports Stadium.
“I haven’t received those figures yet (Covid-19 cases), but once we get them, we will issue a statement,” said the PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare.
The head of Zifa and Premier Soccer League (PSL) medical committee Edward Chagonda has issued a chilling warning to clubs that in line with international trends, they risk forfeiting points if seven or more players test positive for Covid-19, adding that they were keeping an eagle’s eye on Covid-19 hotspots, Kariba and Bulawayo and they stood guided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The Chibuku Super Cup games are resuming this week with 10 matches lined up between this afternoon and Sunday.
Yadah and Caps United get the resumption underway at the National Sports Stadium today before Dynamos and Herentals battle it out at the same venue tomorrow.
Herentals and ZPC Kariba’s match set for Sunday will most likely be called off following the positive cases to ZPC Kariba players and officials.
Chibuku Super Cup fixtures
Wednesday: Yadah v Caps United
Thursday: Dynamos v Herentals
Saturday: Triangle v Ngezi Platinum, Black Rhinos v Tenax, Chicken Inn
Bulawayo City, Harare City v Caps United.
Sunday: FC Platinum v Whawha, Highlanders v Bulawayo Chiefs, Cranborne Bullets v Manica Diamonds, Dynamos v Yadah
Herentals v ZPC Kariba*