HARARE – Football rivals Highlanders and Dynamos have both been summoned to appear before the Premier Soccer League’s (PSL) disciplinary committee on 26 September over the violence that rocked their tense league clash at Barbourfields last Sunday leading to the abandonment of the match.
Highlanders defender Peter Mudhuwa has been summoned in his own capacity to the same hearing to answer to his alleged role in fanning crowd unrest.
According to a statement issued by the PSL this Thursday, Highlanders have been “charged for causing the abandonment of the match, missile throwing, pitch invasion, acts of violence, and malicious damage to property”.
Mudhuwa is being accused of “inciting violence and improper behaviour which brings the league into disrepute”.
Dynamos have also been charged for “pitch invasion, missile throwing and acts of violence”.
The country’s two most followed football outfits met on Sunday for a crucial PSL Match Day 22 clash which saw Highlanders concede two quick goals in the first half.
Things came to a head when an agitated section of Highlanders fans took matters into its hands by invading the pitch and attacking some police officers who were forced to retreat into the safety of the stadium dressing rooms with the hooligans in hot pursuit.
The skirmishes continued outside the stadium with vehicles damaged and some injuries reported.
Highlanders issued an apology this week over its fans’ behaviour while PSL also condemned the acts and apologised to football stakeholders over scenes that have tainted the domestic game.
It is not the first time in just over a year that the two sides have seen crowd trouble cause the abandonment of their clash.
In May last year, the fixture was also abandoned at Barbourfields when both sets of fans invaded the pitch soon after Highlanders had broken the deadlock through a Washington Navaya strike late into the match.
