Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
THE resumption of the Premier Soccer League might be delayed by a week with clubs failing to secure venues to host matches.
The Premier Soccer League was temporarily suspended on the 7th of this month to allow for maintenance works on various stadia to be completed.
This was after the Sports and Recreation Commission, who are the custodians of the National Sports stadium, had indicated that the facility can no longer host more than two matches per week.
Before the suspension, the facility had hosted 43 matches in 77 days as eight teams were using the country’s biggest stadium as their home ground.
Other facilities like Rufaro, Nyamhunga, Wadzanayi and Chisumbanje stadia were expected to be completed during the month-long break, however, that hasn’t been the case ahead of the anticipated resumption on the 1st of July.
“There is a possibility that the league might be delayed by a week or two as the sprucing up of the grounds is not yet finished. We hope that Rufaro, Nyamhunga and Wadzanayi will be ready but none of those grounds has been completed and we still face a challenge,” noted Premier Soccer League Chairman, Farai Jere.
“I know many people have been calling for matches to be played at other venues but we can’t run that risk because once you lower the standard it will be difficult for us to get back. So, we just need to bear with the situation bit but football will resume soon enough,” he added.
Black Rhinos has managed to secure a lease to use Bata Stadium in Gweru as their home ground, while Dynamos have indicated that they might use Baobab in Mhondoro Ngezi.
However, Cranborne Bullets, Caps United and Yadah are banking on the National Sports Stadium, while Simba Bhora and ZPC Kariba hope to get their stadiums ready in time for resumption.
