The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) season was yesterday plunged into early jeopardy after a Harare derby featuring Motor Action and Caps United failed to take off with the two teams turning up at two different venues.
With the PSL maintaining that the match had been fixtured at Gwanzura yesterday at 3pm, where Caps United turned up, Motor Action consequently lost the game by a 3-0 walkover after failing to pitch up.
Motor Action, in addition to losing three points, will also face a disciplinary hearing for their behaviour.
The PSL officials, referees, the police and the ambulances in addition to thousands of fans all turned up for the match at Gwanzura while Motor Action waited for Caps United and match officials across town at Motor Action Sports Club.
The fans at Gwanzura were, however, not allowed in as it was Motor Actions prerogative as the home team to provide cashiers.
Motor Action owner Eric Rosen, who is also the leagues board member for marketing, accused Caps United owner Twine Phiri, also the PSL chairman, of trying to take advantage of the situation to benefit his team unfairly.
The leagues board member (competitions) Tavengwa Hara said yesterday that Caps United had been awarded three points and there would be no hearing on the matter.
The rules and regulations are very clear. If a team doesnt turn up the one that would have pitched is awarded three points with a 3-0 scoreline, said Hara. Motor Action did not turn up for the match which was fixtured at Gwanzura Stadium Sunday 3pm, so Caps get three points with a 3-0 scoreline.
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We will take care of the expenses such as the hiring of the stadium and paying the referees. There is not going to be a hearing on this matter, we will not waste time.
However, Rosen said that because his team did not turn up there was a problem which could not be swept under the carpet so there should be a hearing.
It is not possible that they can just award the match to Caps United. If they say we did not turn up, then there is a problem which should be solved through a hearing which we are prepared for, said Rosen.
It is unfortunate that the PSL board president is also the owner of Caps United and it looks like he is trying to take advantage of the situation and have his team playing at home.
We had requested that the match be played at Rufaro on Saturday, but they said Dynamos had first preference to the venue.
We would have benefited by playing at Rufaro in terms of revenue and we know we always have good support from Dynamos fans when we play against Caps.
Dynamos played Monomotapa at Rufaro on Saturday.
Motor Actions contestation is that they as the home team had the right to choose where to host their match and they had chosen their own ground.
But according to Hara, the Mighty Bulls approached Zifa requesting that their match be played at Rufaro Stadium last week because Motor Action Sports Club did not have the capacity to host Caps United whose fans attendance average above 3 000.
Motor Action Sports Clubs capacity is 2 000 fans and with above 5 000 fans having watched Caps Uniteds clash with Chicken Inn at Gwanzura last week, such figures were again expected this week.
The PSL was particularly incensed that Motor Action bypassed the league administration and went straight to Zifa with their request without informing the custodians of the league.
Rufaro was, however, not available since it was the venue for yesterdays national womens Under-20 team against Nigeria.
On Friday, Motor Action wrote to the PSL again advising that the match be played at Motor Action Sports Club on Saturday, a request that was turned down by both Caps and the PSL.
Hara also argued that officially, Motor Action did not have a home ground because they did not communicate that with the league.
Before the start of the season, each team communicates in writing as to which venue they will use as their home ground and also the alternative venue. For example, Dynamos have Rufaro and the National Sports Stadium, but Motor Action did not inform us, Hara said.
Part of the PSL rules and regulations read: Order 18: Match fixtures 18.1 Every team shall be obliged to honour every league fixtures as directed by the Management Committee. 18.2 Any club without just cause that fails to fulfil its fixture obligation in respect of any league match on the appointed date or dates shall be deemed guilty of bringing the game of football into disrepute and shall be subject to a disciplinary hearing. 18.5 Clubs have no right or powers to change fixtures without the written approval of the league.
