Match-fixing in dramatic revelation Mkhuphali Masuku

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIFA Southern Region Division One championship contenders, Talen Vision, in a dramatic revelation following stunning allegations of match-fixing against them this week, have said they are not eyeing promotion to the Premier Soccer League this season.

In fact the club said they had a clear five year plan which does not entail that they be in the PSL next season.

The ambitious Bulawayo-based side was this week caught in a bribery scam where they were accused of trying to pay four ZPC Hwange players US$100 so as to underperform against them last Saturday as the title race between Vision and Bulawayo City gets tighter with each passing weekend. 

The said match ended in a nil all stalemate.

Talen Vision, coached by Mkhuphali Masuku, are undefeated while City, under the guidance of Try Ncube, have fallen once, leaving the two sides as the odds on favourites to gain promotion into the elite league although CIWU are the darkhorses of the title matrix.

Talen Vision president, Khumbulani Nkomo, reacting to the match fixing storm said they are not eyeing the golden ticket and hence cannot stoop so low as to buy their way into the victory podium. He claimed they had turned down partnerships with some PSL clubs because their five-year-plan doesn’t entail that they be in the Premiership next year.

“Actually, the match-fixing allegations also took us by surprise. But I must say we are not any under pressure to gain PSL promotion. Actually, we have turned down offers of possible partnerships with local PSL clubs. Our five-year strategic plan doesn’t entail that we should be playing in the PSL next year,” Nkomo told our sister publication B-Metro adding that to them, the allegations were not yet a case as they were still waiting to be summoned by Zifa.

“We spend a lot of money in paying our players’ salaries and winning bonuses and how on earth would we stoop so low and try to bribe individuals with US$100. We still maintain that the allegations are unfounded”. 

ZPC Hwange have since written a formal letter of complaint to Zifa arguing that the match was therefore not played under fair conditions as they suspect they might have been some of their players who were approached but were not as honest as the player who blew the whistle. “About a week before the match, some members of Talen Vision football club started making phone calls to some of our players to influence the outcome of the game. 

“This went on until the eve of the game when one gentleman came to Hwange to meet our players at their place of residence and gave him (whistle blower) US$100 to influence the result of the game in their favour. 

“He further asked to be linked to three more players who were going to be on the starting line up, including the goalkeeper,” reads part of the ZPC Hwange letter of complaint addressed to the fireband Zifa Southern Region chairman, Andrew Tapela.

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