Mountaineers beat Eagles
THE Premier Soccer League could find itself in a fix as the ZIFA First Instance Board have vowed to condemn all stadiums which do not meet the minimum Club Licensing requirements.
With only about one-and-a-half-months before the season kick- starts, facilities across the country are in a very poor state.
And the FIB, which has since started inspecting the venues, are in no mood to compromise standards.
That PSL are in no way directly involved, in the running of stadiums in the country, further complicates the issue.
Several teams could find themselves without a home which could force the season’s start to be delayed.
“This time around, we are looking at conformity with the requirements. We cannot continue compromising standards,’’ said ZIFA spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela.
“Any venue, which does not meet the minimum requirements, cannot be cleared and cannot host top-flight matches, simple.
“It’s a touchy subject but, at the end of the day, standards should be kept. We are aware that we do not have good, standard facilities but we are saying, at least, some minimum expectations should be met.”
Gwesela said that only Barbourfields was provisionally cleared by CAF leaves the FIB in a tight corner but they cannot compromise principles.
All other venues in the country were condemned by CAF who inspected them late last year.
“Of course, that leaves us in a quandary. But we are saying authorities should make sure that the facilities are in a good shape and should, at least, be in an acceptable standard.”
With the slow pace at which refurbishment of some grounds, including Gwanzura, Sakubva and Lafarge, is moving, the start of the 2020 season could as well be delayed.
“We are in trouble. A lot needs to be done if we are to be in conformity with Club Licensing,’’ Gwesela said.
“Stadiums are the main itchy point. But we are going to do everything professionally until all the requirements are put in place.’’
Last year, the FIB initially condemned several stadiums including Rufaro, Vengere, Ascot, Morris Depot and Trojan in Bindura.
Several teams had to travel hundreds of kilometres to host Premiership matches as their home venues had failed the homologation tests.
So far, the FIB have been to Barbourfields, Rufaro and Morris Depot.
“The First Instance Board has already met and resolved to start inspections of match venues last week,’’ said Gwesela.
“Soon after that meeting, they visited Barbourfields and they have been to Morris Depot and Rufaro.
“The inspections continue next week but we will be guided by the Premier Soccer League as to which stadiums need inspection.’’
With the slow pace at which refurbishment of some grounds, including Gwanzura, Sakubva and Lafarge, is moving, the start of the 2020 season could as well be delayed.
VITAL wickets by Donald Tiripano and Roy Kaia of Mountaineers turned what looked like being a close match against Eagles at Harare Sports Club yesterday in favour of their team.
Tiripano removed three top- order Eagles batsmen and Kaia four from the middle order as their batting fell away, despite a good innings of 68 from Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, and Mountaineers won again, by 58 runs ( Duckworth- Lewis method).
As in the first match, at the same venue yesterday, Mountaineers won the toss and decided to bat.
Eagles kept things tight in the field at the start, with Richard Ngarava and Trevor Garwe bowling well to Kevin Kasuza and Joylord Gumbie, and only three runs, including a wide, came off the first four overs.
Then Gumbie broke free with a cracking square drive for four off Ngarava.
Thereafter, Kasuza played the leading part in another fine opening partnership for Mountaineers, putting on 68 in 20 overs before Kasuza drove a catch to long- off of Tapiwa Mufudza after scoring 39.
Gumbie scored 26 before he ill- advisedly tried a reverse sweep and was easily caught off Mufudza at backward point; 88 for one in the 27th over.
Richmond Mutumbami came in, and soon got hold of Tino Mutombodzi’s bowling, hammering him for a six, three fours and a single in an over.
The score was rattled along while when Kaia was caught on the midwicket boundary off the bowling of Mutombodzi for 40, with the score at 146 for three in the 37th over.
Drinks were taken, and the interval struck twice for Eagles as two balls later Mutumbami ( 31) miscued a stroke and sent Mutombodzi a simple return catch.
Shingi Masakadza and Kudzai Sauramba now took over the batting, with Masakadza in particular getting his eye in quickly and driving Faraz Akram for two successive sixes.
They put on 58 runs together in six overs before Sauramba ( 20) edged a ball from Ngarava to the keeper; 205 for five.
Gary Chirimuuta soon followed without scoring, trying to drive Ngarava but skying a catch to long- on.
At 209 Mashinge ( 2) edged Garwe to the keeper, and with five overs to go and seven wickets down Eagles were fighting back and Mountaineers faltering somewhat at the death.
Then Shingi Masakadza, after hitting another four, tried to swing a ball from Ngarava to leg and was bowled behind his legs for 34; 214 for eight.
Tiripano, trying to push the score along, perhaps tried to hit out too soon, as he skyed a catch off Garwe at 215 for nine, after 46.2 overs; three wickets had fallen in nine balls.
As the last man, Victor Nyauchi, was walking out a sudden shower came on, forcing the players to run off the field and take an early lunch.
The shower was comparatively brief and, with lunch taken, the time lost was so small that Mountaineers were able to continue their innings, with only one over lost.
Scores Mountaineers: 234 all out in 48.4 overs ( Roy Kaia 40, Kevin Kasuza 39, Shingi Masakadza 34; Richard Ngarava 3/52, Trevor Garwe 2/32, Tapiwa Mufudza 2/34)
Eagles: 175 all out in 43.4 overs ( Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 68, Elton Chigumbura 35, Tino Mutombodzi 16; Donald Tiripano 4/ 29, Roy Kaia 4/ 30)
Mountaineers won by 58 runs ( Duckworth- Lewis method) — zimcricket.
BUDAPEST. — FIFA have proposed the creation of an African Super League featuring the biggest clubs on the continent that could generate an estimate of US$200m in revenue.
In a meeting with the International Sports Press Association in Budapest, FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed they are ready to change the outlook of African football.
With a new competition proposed by the Infantino, the pan-African league developed in conjunction with the Confederation of African Football is aimed to become one of the top 10 competitions in world football.
“I want to create a real pan-African league that would feature 20-24 clubs with a maximum of maybe two clubs per country that would still play in their national leagues but that would play during the year so we can really crown the club champions of Africa,” he told Reuters.
FIFA said in a statement that the permanent member clubs would be urged to provide an investment of US$20 million annually over five years and would also have to meet other participation criteria such as investment in youth and women’s football.
Infantino went on to discuss the shortcomings of the current systems as well as addressing the long-term plans of sustainability and growth.
“We have had some serious problems in Africa and it has to change. It has to change the way of how to do business, it has to take on board the basic elements of good governance,” Infantino explained.
“There needs to be proper competition infrastructure. I think it is fair to say that competitions in Africa are 30-to-40 times less successful than in Europe.” — Reuters.