Karoi United cries foul, demands share of points with Scottland

Karoi United, a Northern Region Division One Soccer League side, is seeking to have their match against Scottland, which was abandoned last month, declared a draw after a disciplinary committee found them guilty of causing the game's premature termination.

The match, which was tied 1-1 with only eight minutes remaining, was abandoned following an incident where one of Karoi United's supporters allegedly pelted referee Mathew Dingo with missiles, injuring him on the groin and shin. The disciplinary committee subsequently fined Karoi United US$2,000 and awarded Scottland a 3-0 win by default.

Despite the ruling, Karoi United has lodged an appeal, claiming their innocence in the matter. The club insists that they were not responsible for the actions of the individual fan who allegedly assaulted the referee, and they have questioned the evidence used to support the disciplinary committee's decision. Karoi United has suggested that, in lieu of the US$2,000 fine, they should be allowed to pay a reduced fine of US$1,000.

In their appeal, Karoi United disputes the identity of the supporter accused of throwing missiles at the referee, arguing that it was not one of their fans. They contend that the committee erred by accepting it as an uncontroverted fact without concrete evidence, as no missiles were produced during the hearing to substantiate the claim.

"The identity of the supporter who allegedly assaulted the referee is disputed, and the committee erred in holding it as an uncontroverted fact that it was one of the appellant's supporters who threw missiles and assaulted the referee," Karoi United stated in their submissions.

The club further argues that the environment was not conducive for the match to continue, as reported by the referees. However, they insist that the decision to abandon the match was ultimately made by the referees, not their supporters.

As part of the appeal, Karoi United is requesting the match to be declared a draw, with the scoreline standing at 1-1, and for the fine to be reduced to US$1,000.

ZIFA (Zimbabwe Football Association) will now appoint an appeals committee to review the case, and Karoi United's fate will be determined following this review.

Meanwhile, Scottland, who are gearing up for a crucial match against Black Mambas this afternoon in their bid for the league title, will have to wait until after the Karoi United appeal is resolved before celebrating any potential victory.

Karoi United's appeal casts a shadow over Scottland's celebration plans, with the outcome of the abandoned match remaining unresolved. The dispute over the incident has highlighted the ongoing tension between the two clubs as they await the final decision.