ABC Motsepe league log leaders, Mpheni Home Defenders goalkeeper Ludick Mukhaswa is accused of playing league game against Happy Boys while on suspension.
By: Refilwe Sebola
As expected, a serious dissension has exploded in the semi-professional ABC Motsepe League as teams heat-up for the playoffs.
It turns out the league will once again be won or lost in the board room instead of the field of play. In stream A the usual suspect Mpheni Home Defenders who have once again this season demonstrated their dominance in the league will have to do yet another battle in the board room for the second successive season running before they could be crowed stream winners.
They are currently leading the log with forty-two points in fifteen games, nine points more than second placed Giyani Happy Boys who are on thirty-three points with the same number of games.
As usual Mpheni are faced with at least three pending cases. The first case is against relegation threatened Munaca FC, followed by another case involving bottom of the log side Mikhado FC while the last one is against second placed Happy Boys FC.
Munaca had lodged a protest against Mpheni on Saturday 18 March claiming that Mpheni used a player without proper identity documents.
According to reports the said player used a passport which Munaca claims it is prohibited by the SAFA rules. However, the independent disciplinary committee ruled in favour of Mpheni but Munaca lodged an appeal which will most likely end up going to arbitration since it is actually offseason.
The case against bottom of the log side Mikhado who failed to honour their second round game against Mpheni is still pending.
Mikhado claims their team bus allegedly had an accident in the day of the match, however they failed to attend the independent disciplinary seating on the same matter.
According to SAFA provincial executive officer, Refilwe Khoza the verdict on the case was expected to have been released by Tuesday this week but was not yet available for the media by the time of going to press.
The verdict on Mpheni’s final case against second placed Happy Boys will be decided on Tuesday next week.
Happy Boys lodged an appeal last month about Mpheni goalkeeper Ludwick Mukhaswa who according to their records was on four yellow cards and was not supposed to have played against them.
Nevertheless Mpheni owner Sydwell Phuravhathu denied the allegations and said his first choice goalkeeper had only two yellow cards not four.
A negative verdict on these cases could mean dire consequences for the log leaders.
Should Munaca win their appeal and Happy Boys gain a victory in their case against them then they will be docked six points which will reduce their lead to only three points.
More so the results will favour Happy Boys who will be credited with three points and will be on equal points. The Giyani based side will then have to win their case against arch rivals Emmanuel fc who abandoned their last league game few minutes before final whistle.
According to SAFA’s Refilwe Khosa, the referee’s report states that Emmanuel refused to continue with the game but there was no reasons stated. Happy Boys were leading 3-2 when the game was abandoned.
Should Happy Boys be credited with three points then they will lead the log with thirty-nine points three more than Mpheni who will then have to rely on a positive verdict in their case against Mikhado to be crowned stream A ultimate winners. Unlike in the Munaca and Happy boys cases where points were already credited to Mpheni, in the Mikhado fc game there was no points credited to any of the two teams.
Meanwhile stream B log leaders, The Dolphins FC could relinquish their top spot in the last hour to second placed Ngwaabe City Motors FC whose 1-1 final game against Tubatse United was abandoned with only seven minutes left due to load shedding.
The game is expected to be replayed only for the remaining seven minutes. City Motors need three points from this game to be crowned stream leaders.