Giyani Happy Boys head coach Mpho Maleka during his team’s 3-1 defeat by Mpheni Home Defenders at Makhado Show ground on Tuesday.
By: Refilwe Sebola
ABC Motsepe League stream A log leaders, Mpheni Home Defenders FC humbled second placed Giyani Happy Boys 3-1 last Tuesday at home in Makhado Show ground to seal the league with a game to spare.
Prior to the game Mpheni was ahead of Happy Boys with only three points and a game in hand, but as things stand Mpheni are the 2022/23 stream A winners even before playing their Saturday final game against Winnerspark in Modjadjiskloof. They are now six points ahead of Happy Boys who are left with just one final game against arch rivals Emmanuel fc.
However, it turns out Mpheni will once again have to fight for their right to play in the playoffs in the DC board room for the second season running following protest cases by Munaca FC, the recent one against Happy Boys and the delayed one against Mikhado.
Munaca lodged an appeal after they had lost a protest case against Mpheni last weekend for allegedly fielding a player without proper identity document while Happy Boys lodged a protest on Tuesday after Mpheni allegedly used their goalkeeper Mukhaswa Ludick who was on four yellow cards. According to the Happy boys officials led by coach Mpho Maleka, Ludwick failed to serve a two game suspension which was effective a week before their Nedbank game against Chippa United.
“He only missed one league match against Musina FC and played the second game against Chippa United in the Nedbank Cup last sixteen match which was an official game,” said coach Maleka.
“That he rested against Munaca FC before this game is immaterial because he was supposed to miss two successive official games before he could be eligible to play again in an official match. So he actually never served his suspension,” Maleka exclaimed
Should the SAFA disciplinary committee find Mpheni guilty in both the two cases they will forfeit at least six points which might disadvantage them if they fail to win against Winnerspark FC this weekend and Happy Boys beat home boys Emmanuel FC in their last game.
Mpheni owner and coach, Sydwell Phuravhathu is adamant that his team did nothing wrong.” There is no such thing. Ludick did serve his suspension and was eligible to play” he said. We beat them” fair and square” in the field of play they must just accept. Nonetheless we are expecting the SAFA DC to add three more points from our game against Mikhado who failed to avail themselves for the DC seating last week,” he concluded.
Mikhado FC had failed to honour their league fixture against Mpheni in October last year allegedly due to a team bus accident which occurred on their way to the game.