HARARE —
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) on Wednesday defied orders of the Zimbabwe Football Association and allowed matches to proceed ahead of the Warriors weekend match against Zambia’s Chipolopolo.
The PSL won their battle against ZIFA after all the matches went ahead despite an order by the national soccer governing body to cancel the matches to pave way for the Zimbabwe national team.
Referees turned up for the games that have seen FC Platinum play Caps United, Chicken Inn host How Mine while Hwange travelled to Rufaro Stadium for their game against Monomotapa after ZIFA had asked the PSL to cancel the matches for the fifth week running.
ZIFA had asked the referees not to officiate at the PSL matches but the referees who are paid for officiating also turned up for the matches.
Some of the matches are lined up for Thursday and there is a strong possibility that those matches will be fulfilled despite ZIFA’s stance that all players called by coach Ian Gorowa have to report for camp ahead of the match between Zambia and Zimbabwe which is now scheduled for this weekend after being postponed from last Sunday.
The PSL have argued that all national team players will only join the national team after the conclusion of the Thursday matches.
ZIFA chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze could not be reached for a comment.
Under normal circumstances, only clubs with more than three players in the national team do not play PSL games. But since July 20 when the Warriors played Zambia in the COSAFA Castle Cup final, PSL matches have not been held to the pave way for national team engagements.
During the weekend of August 3, matches were also cancelled ahead of national elections but PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele says they cannot continue postponing games as league matches are supposed to end November 30.
The Confederation of African Football has given all countries the November 30 deadline to register clubs that will represent them in the 2014 CAF Champions league and the Confederations Cup.
The PSL won their battle against ZIFA after all the matches went ahead despite an order by the national soccer governing body to cancel the matches to pave way for the Zimbabwe national team.
Referees turned up for the games that have seen FC Platinum play Caps United, Chicken Inn host How Mine while Hwange travelled to Rufaro Stadium for their game against Monomotapa after ZIFA had asked the PSL to cancel the matches for the fifth week running.
ZIFA had asked the referees not to officiate at the PSL matches but the referees who are paid for officiating also turned up for the matches.
Some of the matches are lined up for Thursday and there is a strong possibility that those matches will be fulfilled despite ZIFA’s stance that all players called by coach Ian Gorowa have to report for camp ahead of the match between Zambia and Zimbabwe which is now scheduled for this weekend after being postponed from last Sunday.
The PSL have argued that all national team players will only join the national team after the conclusion of the Thursday matches.
ZIFA chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze could not be reached for a comment.
Under normal circumstances, only clubs with more than three players in the national team do not play PSL games. But since July 20 when the Warriors played Zambia in the COSAFA Castle Cup final, PSL matches have not been held to the pave way for national team engagements.
During the weekend of August 3, matches were also cancelled ahead of national elections but PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele says they cannot continue postponing games as league matches are supposed to end November 30.
The Confederation of African Football has given all countries the November 30 deadline to register clubs that will represent them in the 2014 CAF Champions league and the Confederations Cup.