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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

IN order to broadcast as many matches as possible on the Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN), some Chibuku Super Cup games are scheduled for morning kick-off as Premier Soccer League action resumed after a 17-month absence.

Three games on Match Day 1 on Saturday featuring Bulawayo City versus Chicken Inn encounter scheduled for Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo and the two Sunday ties between Ngezi Platinum Stars vs Triangle United (Mandava) and Harare City be ZPC Kariba at the National Sports Stadium are scheduled for an 11am kick-off.

PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare said fixtures that will be broadcast live on ZTN will be released in due course.

Defending Chibuku Super Cup champions Highlanders start their title defence of the remodeled competition with an away tie against Bulawayo Chiefs at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

The PSL modified the Chibuku Super Cup format, moving away from the traditional knockout tournament to a mini-league competition to allow for the smooth transition of football.

Teams were placed in four localised groups, with pool matches played in a home-and-away basis to allow teams to play more games and gain fitness

Pool A, made up of Caps United, Dynamos, Harare City, Herentals, Yadah and ZPC Kariba, is set to play matches at the National Sports Stadium, while Barbourfields Stadium will be home to Pool made up of Bulawayo Chiefs, Bulawayo City, Chicken Inn and Highlanders.

Pool C has Black Rhinos, Cranborne Bullets, Manica Diamonds and Tenax, and they’ll play their matches at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare, with Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane hosting Pool D that has FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars, Triangle United and Whawha.

On Saturday, Bulawayo City take on Chicken Inn, with Whawha and FC Platinum battling it out at Mandava Stadium, while Capes United are set to face Yadah. In Mutare, Tenax will open their topflight account with a date against Black Rhinos.

There are five matches lined up on Sunday with Ngezi taking on Triangle in Zvishavane, while National Sports Stadium hosts a double header featuring Harare City and ZPC Kariba as well as Herentals and Dynamos.

Manica Diamonds and Cranborne Bullets complete the first round of matches on Sunday. – @ZililoR