Sup8r semis replay set for Kwekwe

ZIFA have resolved that Dynamos and Highlanders will replay their abandoned BancABC Sup8r Challenge semi-final in Kwekwe at a date to be fixed by the Premier Soccer League.
However yesterday the PSL still had not received any communication. Acting chief executive officer of the league Kennedy Ndebele said once they receive communication from Zifa they would advise the sponsors of the tournament and set a date for the semi-final replay.
"We will want to set a date as soon as possible for the second semi-final and the final. The sponsors are eager to have the tournament sealed as soon as possible, they want the dates," said Ndebele.
In August poor light forced referee Bryton Malandule to call off the epic tie with Dynamos leading 1-0 and due to take a penalty. The referee had no option after almost an hour of daylight had been wasted by the two teams' protests at decisions made by officials.
The fans saw Dynamos take to the dressing room for 39 minutes. The Dynamos players could be seen coming back to the field clad in their casual clothing after missile throwing erupted on the Soweto stand following a penalty decision after Francis Kanda had been fouled in the box.
In the ensuing commotion Ashley Rambanapasi who is already out of the Soccer Star of the Year selection, picked up a missile and threw it back at the fans, while his colleague Washington Arubi obscenely gestured with his middle figure.
The single camera of an independent programme producer at the stadium missed Arubi's actions. The former Highlanders goalkeeper was at the forefront of calling his teammates to the dressing room.
When Dynamos saw light in continuing with the game, Highlanders failed to convert from the penalty and a few minutes later they had a spotkick decision going against them. Gift Lunga was the first to pull down menacing Benjamin Marere before an Innocent Mapuranga tackle brought him down in the box. What followed was mayhem as fans on the Soweto stand once again resorted to missile throwing in protest.
Highlanders players followed the instructions of their coach Mohamed Fathi and went to the dressing room as Dynamos had done.
They were to return 29 minutes later. Malandule then said play could not continue due to bad light.
An arbitration committee assembled by the Premier Soccer League put the blame for the abandonment of the match on Highlanders. A 3-0 scoreline was awarded to Dynamos leaving the Bulawayo soccer giants to seek redress through the courts.
They won a reprieve to stop the final from taking place.
The parties were asked to negotiate and at some stage Dynamos had said they would only play the outstanding nine minutes of the previous game beginning with taking the penalty.
On Saturday the Zifa board included the item on its agenda of a scheduled extraordinary meeting. While some board members appeared excited about Dynamos' stance, it was finally resolved that the match be played at a neutral venue ' Kwekwe.
Zifa board members confirmed that a resolution had been made on the issue. They referred the media to their hard-to-get boss Cuthbert Dube and his chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze.
Both could not be reached for comment as their phones rang without anybody responding yesterday.