CAPS seek postponement

CAPS United have formally approached the Premier Soccer League seeking a postponement of their league match against Chicken Inn in Bulawayo on Sunday.

The club is battling a congested fixtures programme where they are expected to play four games inside a fortnight.

They have a date with ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga tomorrow and are again expected to travel to Bulawayo at the weekend for the Chicken Inn game before they fulfil a home fixture against USM Alger of Algeria in their second match of the Champions League next Wednesday.

But it is the match against Chicken Inn which has left them frustrated.

And this week, club chief executive Cuthbert Chitima wrote to PSL requesting the authorities to defer one of the games to allow them some flexibility.

“We have wrote seeking postponement of our game against Chicken Inn.

“But from the fixture we have, they have postponed our game against FC Platinum, which would be played on the weekend after our match against USM Alger.

“We don’t have any problems in fulfilling that game as long as we have finished our Champions League commitment.

“We want the Chicken Inn match on Sunday to be postponed, that would be fair,” he said.

Chitima said the traveling has made it difficult for them to fulfil the games and remain fresh and competitive for the crucial first Champions League assignments.

“We arrived on Sunday from Egypt, we leave for Kariba on Wednesday and play the following day, then proceed to Bulawayo on Saturday and return on Monday to prepare for the USM Alger match.

“So it is really difficult for us,” said Chitima.

The PSL confirmed receipt of the letter, but by last night, they could not comment whether they will grant the club their wish.

The Green Machine chief executive also revealed that they had hoped for their game against USM Alger be brought forward to May 25 which is Africa Day and a public holiday.

The request, however, was turned down by CAF.

“We wrote to CAF asking if we could have the match played on Africa Day, but they notified us that it is not possible as we can only play either on 23 or 24, so will just advertise the match and promote it so that fans come in their numbers despite being a mid-week match,” said Chitima.

But it has since emerged that the club’s administrators slept on duty by not responding early to a request from CAF confirming the date.

And by the time they tried to change the fixture it was too late to alter the programme which is also guided by television schedules.

The team has regrouped ahead of their trip to the resort town today.

Vice-captain Hardlife Zvirekwi said they will shift focus to the league matches on their hands before they switch back the attention to the African Safari.

The utility player has been dealt a heavy blow after he was ruled out for at least three weeks due to fatigue.

The Warriors defender will know the full extent of the injury after an assessment by the medical team.

Zvirekwi said they are not burying their heads in sand after getting off in the Champions League on the back foot following a 2-0 defeat to Zamalek.

“We played well although we conceded some soft goals. We are still in it. We still have a long way to go and we have better chances here at home.

“The Algerians are a good side and they have already scored three goals. We have nothing to take away from them, but we also want to capitalise on home advantage. So we need to win at home.

“I will be back soon and I am confident the team will do well in my absence. I am disappointed. I wanted to be there for my team,” said Zvirekwi.