The Sunday News
Sports Reporter
THE verdict of the disciplinary hearing of Bulawayo football giants Highlanders is expected “anytime this week”.
Highlanders were hauled before a PSL disciplinary hearing after their fans caused the abandonment of their home league tie against Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium recently. Sources said the outcome of the hearing was not yet available, as the disciplinary committee was yet to finish its work, and possibly to allow “tempers” to cool down.
“No one has received the verdict as yet and I suppose the disciplinary committee is yet to finish its work and perhaps it is buying time to allow tempers to cool down as you know a lot of things were said by both sides after the match. Delaying everything gives people time to cool down and allow reason to prevail. Football is a game of emotions but at the end of the day, we have to allow reason to prevail so that we take the game forward,” a source said.
The match was abandoned in the 42nd minute when the home side’s fans protested against the visitors’ equaliser arguing they had scored from an offside position. The match was stopped for close to an hour, before match officials decided to end the game as home fans insisted that second assistant referee, Thomas Kusosa be “substituted”, as they accused him of allowing Dynamos to score the equaliser from what they believed was an offside position. Although some objects were thrown into the field of play, no player from either side was targeted, and fans from both sides left the stadium without any acts of violence against each other.
Highlanders were charged for flouting Order 31 of the PSL rules and regulations. The game, which had attracted the largest crowd of 18 177 paying spectators so far, was called off after Dynamos equalised through Cameroonian Christian Epoupa.
Highlanders had taken the lead through a Rahman Kutsanzira beauty in the 23rd minute. The issue of whether the DeMbare goal was scored from an offside position or not still remains a mystery, with the local referees’ body and even Fifa technical committee non-committal.
