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Ntouba returns for DeMbare

Sport
DYNAMOS will be able to call on their top striker Christian Ntouba when they travel to Chapungu on Thursday to play the remainder of their abandoned Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) match

DYNAMOS will be able to call on their top striker Christian Ntouba when they travel to Chapungu on Thursday to play the remainder of their abandoned Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) match. BY HENRY MHARA

The match, played in June, was called off after 56 minutes when the goal post fell after home side goalkeeper Talbert Shumba fell onto it in an attempt to save a shot.

Fifa statutes allow for a match stopped under such circumstances to be continued within 48 hours of the abandonment, but the PSL surprisingly took three months to sanction the match.

Ntouba is suspended for two matches after picking a red card for head-butting Highlanders defender Peter Mudhuwa in the two teams’ feisty clash last week.

The Cameroonian has already served suspension for one of the two matches, as he missed his team’s 1-0 loss to Caps United in the big Harare Derby on Sunday.

There were fears that he would miss the trip to Ascot Stadium where they will play the remaining 34 minutes of the match. Dynamos were leading 4-0 when the mishap happened, and they will need to preserve or better the scoreline, a result that would thrust them to the top of the log for the first time this season.

Ntouba scored the fourth goal six minutes before the post fell. The other goals were scored by Denver Mukamba and Emmanuel Mandiranga, who netted a brace.

The PSL yesterday said the red card would not take effect on the Thursday match, with the two clubs allowed to use the same players who were on the field and the same available substitutes when the game was stopped.

Ntouba will serve the second match of his suspension against Bulawayo City in the Chibuku Super Cup first round at the weekend, and be available for the Harare giants’ next league fixture against Shabanie Mine next week.

“Christian Ntouba will be allowed to play the Thursday match since he was on the match day line-up,” PSL communications and media liaison officer Kudzai Bare said. “The suspension will not affect this particular match since it’s a resumption of an abandoned match. The match resumes with the same players on the field and the same available substitutes when the game was interrupted. Furthermore, the two teams will only be allowed to use the number of substtutions remaining when the game was interrupted. They cannot use a player that had already been substituted.”

The two teams might be missing some players from the initial line-up, with Dynamos’ Obey Mwerahari, who started the match, set to miss the Thursday clash after hobbling off the pitch against Caps United.

“The teams will be allowed to make a substitution if for some reason the player that played on the day is not available. But they will have to notify the PSL first. But we haven’t received reports of such a situation as yet.”

However, there will be no reprieve for fans who are expected to fork out normal league gate charges to watch the remaining minutes of the match.

Since fans had paid to watch the initial match, Dynamos had asked the PSL to scrap the entrance free or at least reduce the gate charges. But the PSL yesterday said the match would be charged at normal rates, with the lowest ticket pegged at $3.