DYNAMOS and Caps United have each been hit by an $8 000 fine following ugly scenes of violence towards the end of the 71st edition of the Harare Derby at Rufaro Stadium three weeks ago.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) had been waiting for a report from Midlands referee Thomas Masaa who handled the match.
Yesterday, the league’s chief executive Kenny Ndebele said they had received the report from the referee and revealed that both Caps United and Dynamos had been found guilty and fined.
“They have been fined $8 000 each. Caps United were fined for throwing missiles in terms of the standing orders, while Dynamos have been fined for pitch invasion,” Ndebele said.
Dynamos won the match 1-0 courtesy of defender Oscar Machapa, who scored a beautiful goal in the first half of the match.
Towards the end of the match, Dynamos players — goalkeeper George Chigova and striker Clive Kawinga — employed time- wasting tactics. Chigova frequently went down, while Kawinga, who had come in for Washington Pakamisa, appeared to feign injury at the corner flag.
Caps United also had penalty appeals waved away by the referee and their fans responded by throwing missiles onto the pitch ranging from cabbages, vegetables, plastic bottles and empty beer bottles.
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Goal-scorer Machapa was also hit by a missile as he prepared to take a throw-in for Dynamos. Dynamos fans also invaded the pitch later on causing further commotion.
This is the third time this season that Dynamos have been fined after their fans threw missiles at the hosts’ bench forcing the technical team and the substitutes to stray into the pitch following the 1-0 loss to How Mine in July.
Referee Hardly Ndazi had to stop the match before calm was restored. The Dynamos fans were probably riled by How Mine goalkeeper Notice Nonjabulo Dube, who employed time-wasting antics that earned him a yellow card in added time. Missiles also rained on Dube. Also in July at Barbourfields, Highlanders and Caps United players were involved in a scuffle, which came a few minutes after referee Philani Ncube made a U-turn on a penalty he had awarded the visitors in the 21st minute following consultations with the fourth official Bekezela Makeka and second assistant referee Brighton Nyika.
The match had to be stopped for four minutes as police, club officials and match commissioner Sabelo Sibindi intervened to cool down tempers before the match resumed. Unhappy Caps United fans in the Mpilo end, threw missiles onto the pitch and referee Ncube had to attend to that scene as well. Dynamos were also fined, together with Highlanders, over skirmishes from their 1-1 league draw at Rufaro.
Shabanie Mine were also hit with a $8 000 fine following pitch invasion by their supporters as they celebrated their BancABC Super8r Cup triumph over FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium a week ago.
The asbestos miners won the cup in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to pocket a $120 000 winners’ cheque, but part of that money will go to the PSL in terms of the standing orders.
Shabanie were also forced to part with another $8 000 in May this year after a PSL disciplinary committee found them guilty of causing the abandonment of their match against Harare City at Maglas Stadium on May 12.
Shabanie were down 3-1 at that time, and the match has now been confirmed as Harare City’s win on a 3-0 scoreline. The PSL have made it clear they do not condone violence in football and that anyone, fans and administrators included, who conducts himself in a manner that brings the game of football into disrepute would face disciplinary action.
