Good times are set to roll for local football after the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) and Bangladesh-based Total Sports Marketing (TSM) signed a dream multi-million dollar media, sponsorship and commercial rights deal on Tuesday last week.

The mega deal brokered by Zifa boss Phillip Chiyangwa and signed by TSM chief executive officer Moinul Haque Chowdury, could see the football association netting around $40 to $100 million for hosting an intercontinental tournament for the next eight years.

The figures will however, depend on the number and class of the teams that will agree to participate in this competition, which will be dubbed the “Robert Mugabe Afro-Asia Intercontinental Football Tournament”.
Former Sport minister David Coltart believes it will be a major breakthrough for Zimbabwean football if the deal comes to fruition.

“Everyone is waiting anxiously to see the first edition of the tournament. It’s good business, only if we start seeing the colour of the money. We all hope for change,” Coltart said.
Former PSL boss Chris Sambo hailed Chiyangwa for securing such a deal, but called on Zifa to tread carefully.

“The figures are extremely big, but Zifa must be careful. If you remember, when we took part in the Medeca Cup, it was a multi-nation tournament, but it was the genesis of Asiagate. We might find ourselves being used by these betting Asian tigers. The figures are scaring me,” Sambo said.

Chiyangwa beat his chest when contacted to confirm the authenticity of the deal.

“What else do people want? This organisation [TSM] is not new to Zimbabwe sport. All we need to do is believe and move forward. Give this deal time and people will start believing,” Chiyangwa said.
According to the contract obtained by Standardsport, Zifa has granted TSM all the commercial rights.

“The two parties herein agree that the licensor (Zifa) grants to the licensee (TSM) all commercial rights including, but not limited to global media broadcast and distribution rights to retain all revenue from ticket sales and gatetakings and all sponsorship rights in respect of President Robert Mugabe Intercontinental Tournament or any other tournament referred to in this document and in return the licensee shall bear all costs of hosting, as well as bear the cost for the live production of the said tournament,” the agreement reads.

“Essentially, the Robert Mugabe tournament or any other tournament that the parties may agree upon shall be hosted at no cost to the licensor with the licensee responsible for all the costs as stated herein as the consideration for the commercial, ticketing, media and sponsorship rights granted to the licensee,” reads part of the contract.

“The licensee (TSM), therefore, has the obligation to fund all the start-up and operating costs associated with the hosting of the tournament.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all the details for hosting costs shall be contained in a separate annexure to the agreement whose contents were mutually agreed by the two parties. TSM will not bear any other cost not mentioned in the agreement.

“TSM shall annually dispatch sponsorship funds in the amount of $500 000 to Zifa for the sole purpose of establishing and operating a youth football academy which will be jointly managed by the two parties through a trust.”

The first year’s contribution will be made available after the completion of the 2016 tournament and the funds will be dispatched in six equal installments to Zifa over a period of 12 months.

The Standard

ZIMBABWEAN champions Chicken Inn were far from being chickens as their debut Caf Champions League campaign ended in a cruel manner here.

The Gamecocks gave their all but goals from centre back Wayne Arendnse and late substitute Katlego Mashego’s last minute penalty knocked the life out of them.

The marauding Khama Billiat won the penalty that decided it after being brought down by Passmore Bernard.

That Billiat was at the centre of everything good for the hosts makes this one the more difficult to swallow.

The boy who grew up in Harare’s Mufakose suburb and was nurtured at the Aces Youth Academy was unplayable especially in the second half.

It was from a Billiat free kick that The Brazilians got their first goal through the head of Arendnse after 34 minutes of play.

He raced through the Chicken Inn defence before being tripped by Bernard in the 91st minute and Malagasy referee Andofetra Avombitana Rakotojaona pointed to the spot.

Mashego kept his calm and slotted the ball under a diving Elvis Chipezeze in the 94th minute.

Joey Antipas was proud of his boys even after the heart breaking defeat but thought the penalty was a bit “dodgy.”

“I will give the boys 100 percent mark for the effort they put in. We had to put in a massive performance to get a result which the boys did.

“But I thought the penalty was a bit dodgy, but that is the nature of the game. I wish Sundowns all the best in their quest for the Champions League glory,” said Antipas.

Mamelodi Sundowns came out guns blazing as Chicken Inn struggled to deal with a pitch that was watered five minutes before kickoff.

As Downs poured forward menacingly, the message from Antipas was for his men to toughen up.

And toughen up they did, contesting well for the second ball.

The 15 minute mark was key, it came along with the scores goal-less and the Gamecocks slowly getting into their groove.

A minute later, Chipezeze did well to parry a Billiat effort for a corner.

The Chicken Inn keeper did well once again to gather a Hlompo Kekana header on 19 minutes.

The Gamecocks’ first corner came after 20 minutes of play as Sundowns dominated the proceedings from the onset.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ persistent pressure finally paid off in the 34th minute when Arendnse headed home.

Coincidentally, it also took Chicken Inn 34 minutes to score through Michelle Katsvairo in the first leg played at Babourfields a fortnight ago.

Three minutes later, Pitso Mosimane was forced to make a substitution, bringing on giant striker Antony Laffour for left back Tebogo Langerman who pulled a hamstring as he sought to unlock the Chicken Inn defence.

The Gamecocks mounted pressure in the last five minutes of the first half and Katsvairo could have found the equalizer on two occasions but the speedy forward fell short.

Edmore Chirambadare displayed some lovely piece of footwork in the 42nd minute, roasting Asavela Mbekile inside the box before squaring the ball to Katsvairo who mistimed the pass.

A minute later, Katsvairo’s stinging shot hit the left upright after he was played on by veteran striker Obadiah Tarumbwa.

Sundowns goalie Dennis Onyango was clearly beaten by Katsvairo’s surprise strike.

It was 1-0 in favour of Sundowns at half time.

Just like they did at the start of the match, Sundowns were quicker off the blocks in the second stanza.

Billiat charged towards goal in Sundowns’ first attack but he was checked by Lawrence Mhlanga before substitute Laffour hit the side net in the 50th minute.

The ever dangerous Billiat hit the upright and Keegan Dolly failed to tap in the rebound after 56 minutes of play as The Brazilians took full control of the proceedings.

Chicken Inn’s Tarumbwa mistimed a lob soon after the hour mark after he had raced onto a through ball from the left by Devine Lunga.

The Gamecocks were always suspect when dealing with set pieces and were nearly punished after 70 minutes of play when Thabo Nthenthe’s header, off a free kick by Dolly, was cleared off the line.

Katsvairo thought he had found the equalizer seven minutes from time but his left foot attempt was punched away by Onyango.

Substitute Moses Demera was a shade slower for the rebound.

Then came the agonizing moment when Bernard upended Billiat right inside injury and Sundowns grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Teams

Mamelodi Sundowns: D. Onyango, T. Nthenthe, T. Langerman (A. Laffour 37), A. Mbekile (K. Mashego 89), W. Arendnse, K. Dolly, H. Kekana, L. Castro, B. Soumahoro (T. Zwane 46), M. Mashaba, K. Billiat

Chicken Inn: E. Chipezeze, P. Bernard, L. Mhlanga, M. Jackson, D. Lunga, D. Phiri, T. Kutinyu (T. Goredema 90), P. Madhazi (C. Matawu 50), E. Chirambadare, O. Tarumbwa (M. Demera 79), M. Katsvairo

The 2016 Castle Lager Premier League season kicks off with a blockbuster clash between champions Chicken Inn and Harare giants Dynamos.

The season kicks off on April 2.

DeMbare have roped in a Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva who faces one of the most difficult fixtures in his first week in the topflight league.

aps United kick off with a home tie against Chapungu before their away tie to Ngezi Platinum, while Highlanders will be away to Hwange in week one.

The first big Harare derby featuring Dynamos and Caps United is scheduled for week four with the former hosting their biggest rivals.

Before that Caps United would have hosted Harare City in what could be tough two week period for the Lloyd Chitembwe coached side.

Dynamos host Highlanders in match day eight while Bosso will take on Caps in back to back clashes in week 15 and 16.

Norman Mapeza’s FC Platinum starts off with a home tie against Tsholotsho before travelling to Bulawayo to face Highlanders, who also have a new coach Elroy Akbay.

Fixtures

New boys Mutare City Rovers and Ngezi Platinum clash on match day one, while fellow new comers Border Strikers have to make the long trip to face ZPC Kariba.

The first Bulawayo derby for the season is in match day one featuring How Mine, now coached by Kelvin Kaindu, and Bulawayo City in their debut season in the topflight league.

Bulawayo City have another Bulawayo derby to contend with in week two facing Tsholotsho, Joey Antipas’ Chicken Inn will be the first team to be hosted by Border Strikers, who are currently refurbishing Dulibadzimu to try and meet the elite league standards.

The first battle of the platinum miners featuring Ngezi Platinum, who have declared that they will spice up the league, and FC Platinum is set to take place in week four with the new comers hosting one of the pre-season title favourites from Zvishavane.

Newsday

The Zifa executive committee has suspended Edzai Kasinauyo over allegations of planning to fix the outcome of the 2017 Afcon qualifier between Swaziland and Zimbabwe at the end of the month.

Zifa announced suspension of Kasinauyo, who is an executive committee member responsible for technical affairs, in a statement released after their meeting in Harare on Tuesday.

Details of the reasons for the suspension are still sketchy with Zifa only pointing out that there were moves to fix the Swaziland, Zimbabwe tie and Kasinauyo was at the centre of it.

The statement reads; “ The Zimbabwe Football Association Executive committee would like to inform the football fraternity and the nation at large that following its meeting held in Harare today (Tuesday, March 08 2016), it has provisionally suspended Executive Committee member Edzai Kasinauyo,” it reads. “The suspension has been occasioned by allegations of match fixing ahead of the 2017 Orange Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match between Zimbabwe and Swaziland.Mr Kasinauyo has been fingered in the match fixing scam and investigations are going on. The ZIFA president Dr Phillip Chiyangwa will issue a statement after consultations with COSAFA, CAF , FIFA and the Government of Zimbabwe.”

Newsday

History will record that one of Zifa's last acts was to slap life bans, from all football activities, on the pair of former association chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya and controversial football administrator Jonathan Musavengana.

The pair were handed life bans for their alleged involvement in the Limpopogate match fixing scandal at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened at the Zifa Village yesterday.

Former Zifa board member Edzai Kasinauyo and former Warriors coach Ian Gorowa were handed 10 year bans each while former Warriors assistant coach Nation Dube was been banned for five years.

Association president Philip Chiyangwa and Acting General secretary Joseph Mamutse signed the notice that sealed the quintet's fate and also exonerated football agent Kudzi Shabba.
 
"The statement is clear. There is no explanation to make here, we have banned those individuals for their role in Limpopogate," said Chiyangwa.

"We are moving forward, we don't want these things of match fixing to continue recurring in our football," he said.

Zifa contends that Rushwaya, former programmes officer Musavengana, Gorowa and Dube worked with an Asian match fixing syndicate as they tried to fix the 2017 Afcon qualifier match between the Warriors and Swaziland.

The same cartel, according to Zifa, was also involved in fixing matches in the South African Premiership.

For Rushwaya and Musavengana it is the second time that they have been slapped with bans from football.

They were banned for the roles in the Asiagate match fixing scandal but were pardoned soon after Chiyangwa won last December's Zifa elections.

- Sunday Mail

Zifa benefactor, Wicknell Chivayo’s decision to pay only some foreign-based Warriors their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification bonuses has left locally-based troops a disgruntled lot.

Chivayo promised the senior men’s football team $250 000 to be shared among players and officials as an incentive for qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations finals to be hosted by Gabon, but to date he has only paid some of the foreign-based players and no locally-based player has received anything.

Chivayo promised to give the players the money in June after they defeated the Flames of Malawi at home to secure qualification for the first time since 2006.

It is understood that Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat, and Costa Nhamoinesu are among those that have been paid.

Locally-based players that were involved in the qualification campaign include Hardlife Zvirekwi, goalkeepers, Tatenda Mukuruva, Donovan Bernard, defender Elisha Muroiwa, Tafadzwa Kutinyu and Teenage Hadebe.

During the campaign, Bruce Kangwa, now in Tanzania, and Danny Phiri, who is plying his trade at Golden Arrows in South Africa, formed part of the locally- based contingent.

Some players, who spoke to NewsDay Sport said that they felt their efforts were not being appreciated since they were not benefitting from Chivayo’s handouts.

The controversial businessman had also promised to give the Warriors Samsung Galaxy S7 mobile phone handsets valued at around $1 000 each, but again only the foreign-based players benefitted.

The players said they were not happy with Chivayo’s selective nature of paying bonuses.

“We were just asked to open accounts after our qualification and were promised that the money would be deposited,” one player said. “But we have not received anything. The same players that have been paid bonuses are the ones that were given mobile phone handsets and we did not get anything. It’s a bit frustrating when such promises are made in public, yet the payments are made in secrecy and selectively.”

Contacted for comment in early August Chivayo promised to pay off the players before their Guinea tie. But yesterday Chivayo threatened to pull the plug on the locally-based players’ bonuses.

“I do not owe any newspaper reporter any explanation about how I pay the players,” he said.

“I remain tirelessly committed to support the national team and Zifa during Philip Chiyangwa’s tenure. I will not give in to any pressure tactics, as I have, to date, wholeheartedly outlaid reasonably big amounts towards football.”

Chivayo said he had done a lot for the team including paying the players after their 1-0 defeat to Guinea in the final match of their Group L qualifier.

“Recently, I was in Guinea with the players. I gave them money after their defeat to Guinea. Ask them. Why would I give them money for a defeat? You and your editor don’t appreciate the role I am playing. But now, tell those players they will not get any cent from me again,” he fumed.

The 25 players and officials who travelled to Guinea were reportedly given $5 000 to share by Chivayo, translating to about $200 per individual if shared equally.

Source-Newsday

ZIFA finally ended the uncertainty that had seemed to cloud Callisto Pasuwa’s tenure as Warriors coach when the soccer mother body revealed they would be officially terminating the gaffer’s contract at the end of this month. A lot of drama had characterised Pasuwa’s last days as Warriors coach, with his manager Gibson Mahachi demanding that ZIFA must write to his client stating their position.

ZIFA, through acting chief executive Joseph Mamutse, yesterday wrote to Pasuwa advising him that his contract was being terminated with effect from February 28.

Mamutse also indicated in his letter that the coach’s contract was being terminated based on the recommendations of the ZIFA High Performance Committee which met with the former Dynamos mentor last Friday to review the Warriors 2017 African Cup of Nations and the senior team’s showing in the first of his two-year contract.

The Herald exclusively revealed last week that the High Performance Committee had recommended that the coach’s contract should be terminated. It also emerged that effectively Pasuwa’s one-year deal was subject to renewal for another year, depending on how ZIFA viewed his performance and subject to negotiations between the two parties.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to advise that after examining the High Performance Committee review report, we hereby advise that ZIFA will terminate the contract with effect from the 28th of February, 2017 when the contract expires and would expect you to comply with necessary requirements as well as Section 5.2 of the contract.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the services you rendered during the period as national team coach,” reads a copy of the letter from Mamutse.

Although Pasuwa had met the initial target that had been spelt out in his contract after leading the Warriors to the Nations Cup in Gabon, ZIFA had also reviewed the team’s performance at the tournament and held the coach accountable for their poor results in which they managed just one point after finishing bottom of Group B that also included heavyweights Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia.

The HPC felt the coach came short on his team selection and reckoned that the Nations Cup had exposed his tactical shortcomings. ZIFA vice president and HPC chairman Omega Sibanda maintained that his committee was not targeting individuals adding that Pasuwa had naturally come under the spotlight as he was in charge of the country’s flagship football team.

“People are making a mistake that we were looking at Pasuwa and the Warriors, but that is not the case. We looked at football in general. “We reviewed all competitions from the Under-17s to the senior teams for both the men and women teams at the end of the 2016 cycle which coincidentally finished with the AFCON tournament.

“Pasuwa was just part of the bigger element that was being reviewed. It is the duty of the HPC to review the performance of all our national teams and also to look at why some of our junior teams did not participate in the competitions they were supposed to take part and then make recommendations on how we should move forward to improve our game.

“It is also important to note that the HPC will never fire nor hire a coach. We just make recommendations and the executive and the president chooses what they want to do with the findings.

“So we did what we have been mandated to do and again we will have another review in 2019 because we have another cycle of competitions coming up this year for both the men’s and women’s teams,” said Sibanda.

A closer look at the contract which Pasuwa entered into with ZIFA shows that the only recourse which the coach now has is outstanding salaries and perks up to February 28 and this includes $20 000 qualification bonus for guiding the Warriors to the Nations Cup and the $15 000 contract fees he ought to have been paid when he put pen to paper last year.

The contract, which Pasuwa signed with ZIFA on February 1, 2016 states that although the agreement was for a two-year period, the initial one year would be terminated on February 28 with the remaining year being re-negotiated by the parties after a performance review.

This was captured in Article 2:1 of the contract which states that:
“This contract shall be for a duration of up to two years, but shall have an initial period of one year and shall be subject to renewal for an equivalent period in writing upon review of performance under this contract and subject to further negotiations by the parties.

“The effective date of commencement of this contract is 1 February, 2016 and the date of termination shall be February 28, 2017.’’ ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa has repeatedly said Chivayo is his sponsor and not a sponsor for the Association.

In his termination letter, Mamutse also cited Clause 5 of the contract which deals with Pasuwa’s remuneration and the conditions attached to it.

Article 5.1 of the agreement reads: “The employee shall be paid a signing on fee of $15 000 to be paid within three months of the signing of the contract. Further the employee should be paid a gross salary of seven thousand ($7 000) subject to the statutory deductions of PAYE, NSSA and AIDS levy. This excludes winning bonuses and camping allowances.

“The salary shall be reviewed at the end of the first year of the contract in terms Clause 2:1 above’’.

ZIFA, making reference to Article 5:2 of the contract, also insisted yesterday that Pasuwa would need to surrender the vehicle that he was using as national coach despite Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo having argued that he had bought the car for the coach in his personal capacity.

Chivayo told The Herald on Tuesday that he had purchased the vehicle as a gesture for the commitment and patriotism to national duty, which Pasuwa had shown.

Article 5:2 of the contract states that: “The employer shall avail a motor vehicle for use by the employee for the duration of this contract. The employee shall be responsible for keeping the motor vehicle in a good condition and the employer shall be responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle.

“The employer shall not be liable to damages on the motor vehicle arising out of the employee’s negligent, reckless and or driving without due care or attention. “The employee shall not give the motor vehicle to a third party or drive the motor vehicle outside Zimbabwe without the written permission of the employer.

“The motor vehicle shall be returned to the employer if the contract is not renewed,’’ reads the contract.

ZIFA also agreed to pay Pasuwa $10 000 each for qualification to the CHAN and COSAFA tournaments while the coach is entitled to $20 000 for having guided the Warriors to the Nations Cup.

“The employee shall be entitled to the following bonuses; In the amount of $10 000 for qualifying to participate in the COSAFA Senior men challenge and the CHAN tournament. In the amount of $20 000 for qualifying for the 2017 African Cup of Nations’’.

SOURCE: The Herald

”I was in Zimbabwe discussing with the government over a football development, creating 8,000 football clubs across the country and this will boost football development in Zimbabwe.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has dispelled suggestions that his recent trip to Zimbabwe was to aid Issa Hayatou’s overthrow as CAF president.

The Swiss lawyer attended a glitzy bash hosted by ZIFA boss Philip Chiyangwa who is un unrepentant enemy of Hayatou.

But Infantino told the media in Accra on Monday why he visited the Southern African country.

”I was in Zimbabwe discussing with the government over a football development, creating 8,000 football clubs across the country and this will boost football development in Zimbabwe.”

Last week, the Fifa boss met with President Robert Mugabe and pledged his support for the development of football in the country.

SOURCE: New Zimbabwe

Mamelodi Sundowns star Khama Billiat reportedly escaped an armed robbery at an Engen in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Billiat was at an Engen garage in Kyalami, north of Johannesburg when six gunmen entered armed with AK-47 rifles, reported the Sunday World.

The Zimbabwean was said to be buying prepaid electricity at the time and had his watch and wallet taken during the incident. He escaped unharmed after the gunmen forcibly extracted money from the convenience store ATM.

“It’s very unfortunate and sad that such crimes occur in our country. We are very happy though that Khama is not injured or harmed in anyway,” Sundowns spokesperson Thulani Thuswa is quoted as saying.

“I spoke to him [Billiat] not so long ago and is he also happy to have escaped with his life. I asked him and he said he was going to put in petrol and buy some minor stuff, including prepaid electricity.”

The Zimbabwean is currently injured nursing a dead leg and will miss the next few games, according to coach Pitso Mosimane.

Source – KickOff.com

 Police have named three of the 5 people who died on their way from the Highlanders vs Caps United match on Saturday night.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the accident.

“I can confirm the death of five people who were involved in a car accident at the 20km peg along Bulawayo-Gwanda Road near the danger point. The driver lost control of the car and it veered off the road before it hit a tree. Two people died on the spot while two others died upon admission to hospital. The other one who
was in the intensive care unit died today (yesterday),” said Nyathi.

He said they were travelling in a black Toyota Gaia and there were 10 people on board.

Chief Supt Nyathi appealed to motorists to be cautious.

A source said the crew was coming from a soccer match at Barbourfields Stadium.

“They were travelling in a black Toyota Gaia driven by Constable Nation Mpofu (33), who sustained bruises all over the body and is said to be in a stable condition,” he said.

He said the vehicle belongs to one Edmore Chinungwa (43) of Spitzkop North in Gwanda.

Two of the deceased persons are yet to be identified.

“Those identified are Const Edmore Mupinga (27) stationed at ZRP Gwanda camps, Sgt Carl Mhaka (33) stationed at Gwanda Rural and Kholwani Ncube (27), a civilian.

In September last year, six Bosso supporters died while two others were seriously injured when a pick-up truck they were travelling in veered off the road and hit a tree along Falcon Road in Esigodini.

Chronicle

Yadah FC owner Walter Magaya's decision to reportedly suspend his team's coaching department in the wake of last week's first defeat of the season against giants Dynamos FC backfired miserably after they were handed a humiliating 7-2 defeat by Castle Lager Premier Soccer League returnees Bantu Rovers at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

The premiership newboys went into yesterday's encounter without their coach Jairos Tapera and his assistant Elliot Matsika, with the club's team manager Munyaradzi Sinani, team medic Victor Katsande and physiotherapist Mike Mavhura the only technical officials in the visitors' dugout.

The move, however, failed to pay dividends as Yadah FC, who had surprisingly made a bright start to the season, went on to concede seven goals.

The club's chairman Everson Chatambudza however, tried to be diplomatic when asked about Tapera and Matsika's no-show, saying the heavy defeat was as a result of the players failing to grasp the new formations introduced by the club's owner Magaya, who doubles as technical director.

"There is an internal problem, that is why they are not there. You will see them in the next game. There were quite a number of changes which were made tactically for this game and that affected the boys. They only trained for about two days. Our technical director (Magaya) was not available, he was in Cape Town for some other business. So the boys trained basically for two days and they were trying a new formation, which unfortunately they did not master. They trained under Prophet Magaya," Chatambudza said.

He dismissed reports circulating in the grapevine that Tapera and Matsika have been suspended following the defeat by Dynamos.
 
"There is a small problem but it's not correct that the coaches have been suspended. Those are just rumours. It's not something particularly to do with Dynamos. It's something that we will disclose at a later stage. They [Tapera and Matsika] are still there. We still have Jairos Tapera as our coach and his assistants. It's just a small internal problem that is being resolved. They are not on suspension. They simply did not come for this game," Chatambudza said.

Chatambudza was surrounded by overzealous security personnel; some of who did not want him to address journalists after the match.

Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda, who watched the match yesterday, said the scenario where Yadah had no coach at Luveve was not acceptable and the football mother body would issue a statement.

Away from the Yadah FC theatrics, Bantu Rovers' skipper Bukhosi Sibanda notched a hat trick to take his tally to seven goals in seven matches as Tshintsha Guluva got their second win of the season.

Sibanda scored the opener as early as the fifth minute, the second three minutes before the end of the first half and the third, a beauty from a free-kick, in the 59th minute beating goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube all systems out.

The other Bantu Rovers goals came from Gladman Bharibhari (eighth minute), enterprising Obriel Chirinda in the 27th, Newman Sianchali in the 31st and substitute Mbonisi Ncube in the 76th minute.

Coach Joseph Sibindi said it's still work in progress for Bantu Rovers.

Yadah Stars who succumbed to their second defeat scored a brace through Morris Musiyakuvi in the 20th minute and three minutes into optional time.

PROPHET Walter Magaya has taken full responsibility for the seven-goal humiliation that the Premiership newboys Yadah Stars suffered at the hands of strugglers Bantu Rovers in Bulawayo on Saturday that has sent social media into a frenzy as rival fans feast on the club’s spectacular fall after a promising start to life in the top-flight league.

The Harare side, which went unbeaten in their first five league matches in the Premiership and turned themselves into box office attractions after beating ZPC Kariba and Ngezi Platinum, have now lost their last two back-to-back games in what has been a cruel reality check to the demands of life in the top-flight league.

They have only picked up one out of a possible nine points in their last three matches, a draw against a Chapungu side that also missed a penalty in that match, while after not conceding in their first four matches, they have now leaked nine goals in their last three.

While losing to Dynamos in their first defeat to the campaign wasn’t surprising, given the gulf in experience between the country’s most successful football club and the Premiership’s newest member, the seven-goal mauling at struggling Bantu Rovers sent huge shock-waves throughout the country.

It also triggered a social media hysteria with a number of jokes being created by the rival fans and neutrals as they feasted on Yadah’s woes at Luveve including one in which some were saying the football club had turned from a Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries outfit into a Seventh Day Adventist side.

That the massacre came on the day Yadah didn’t have coach Jairos Tapera, or any of his immediate assistants on the bench amid reports they had been suspended for not following Magaya’s instructions on how to approach the match against Dynamos, all helped to stoke the flames of the social media blitzkrieg.

An audio recording posted on social media in which the prophet is said to have told his PHD Ministries followers, that he had fired Tapera and his assistants for daring to challenge his instructions on team selection, not only for the Dynamos but Chapungu game, only helped fuel the fury of the social media reaction and creation.

Club chairman Everton Chatambudza told the media in Bulawayo that the coach had not been fired but there were some in-house issues that the club needed to resolve first and they will issue a statement this week.

Magaya told The Herald he took full responsibility for the events in Bulawayo and argued that it had nothing to do with the absence of his coaching staff to direct operations on the day of the massacre but it was all spiritual.

"I called the boys (the players) after the game and told them that it wasn’t their fault and they don’t need to really let what has happened at Luveve affect their confidence and they start doubting themselves. These are things some of them, and some of you, might not understand and it’s all spiritual and l take full responsibility for that because this was very powerful and it took a toll on my players. The power of prayer is real and given this is a ministry team, ahead of their trip to Bulawayo, there are prayers that we did in preparation for a service and it ended up affecting my players," he said.

"Some of them were telling me, at half-time, they could barely run, they could barely lift their legs and they were just dragging themselves in that match and couldn’t understand what was happening. But l know what affected us in that game and that is why l told the players that l am not blaming any of them and l share their disappointment with what had happened. I also told them l don’t buy all these things that are being said that they may have been influenced to sabotage the team because of the issue about the coaches which is currently being sorted out. You won’t understand it when l say it was all spiritual and some of the players might not understand it but l do and that is why l am taking responsibility for what happened."

He said he was ready for the negativity that will stalk him and his team, in the coming days, because that is the way life is.

"I know that there will be a lot of talk, a lot of jokes, a lot of insults maybe and a lot of negative things said about me and the team in the coming days because of what happened in Bulawayo but l am okay with it, for that is the way the game is. I know there are some who have been waiting for such a moment but that’s okay and l’m driven by my beliefs and that is what had taken my team from being a Division Two side just last year to the Premier League and l will always be guided by my prayers," he said.

"Check the number of games that we have lost since we started this football project last year and you will see what l mean and understand why l believe because the bulk of the time we have been blessed and we have come right and there have been moments like the one in Bulawayo, few and far between, in this journey but it hasn’t stopped us from being successful as a club. It happens in football and wasn’t it just three years ago when Brazil lost by seven goals to one against Germany in a World Cup match in their home and people were saying this is the end of Brazil as we have known it all along?

"Today, just three years down the line, the same Brazil are number one in the world rankings and they have become the first country to qualify for the next World Cup in Russia and they don’t know when was the last time they lost a game. When you are striving for greatness you have to accept that there will be some tough and testing moments but what is important is how you respond when such things happen rather than be destroyed by one incident. I will not be deterred by all that because l know what l am doing and l know what is good for us as a club and that is why we have come this far in such a very short period of time and that’s why l believe the future is even brighter."

He said he even congratulated his players for scoring two goals, for the first time, in a Premiership game.

"I told the boys that l was happy they scored two goals for the first time since we came into the Premier League and, for me, they should use that as an inspiration for their next assignments," said Magaya.

"Their captain Brian Mapfumo lost a very important member of his family and he is the leader and the boys draw a lot of strength from him and when he is down they are also down and l understand that. But that’s why this is called a league championship and not a knockout game where just one loss means you are finished and we have a chance to bounce back and show our true colours against Chicken Inn and I am confident we will get it right because l believe in these boys and what we want to achieve. To be frank with you, l was down when we lost to Dynamos, that is a defeat that affected me badly, and not this one against Bantu even though we conceded seven goals."

Prophet Magaya is in trouble with Phillip Chiyangwa's management as Zifa has warned Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side Yadah FC owned by Prophet Magaya over flouting club licensing regulations by playing their match against Bantu Rovers without qualified coaching personnel on the bench.

Magaya suspended his technical team, which is headed by Jairos Tapera, ahead of the match.

Manager Munyaradzi Sinani, team medic Victor Katsande and physiotherapist Mike Mavhura sat in the dugout.

Zifa, whose current president is Phillip Chiyangwa, a close associate of President Mugabe, yesterday released a statement pointing out that the Walter Magaya-owned side had brought the game of football into disrepute by disregarding club licencing regulations.

Xolisani Gwesela, who is the manager of club licensing, said the football mother body would act accordingly against Yadah FC for the misdemeanour.

"The absence of a qualified technical team during a professional league match makes a mockery of top-flight football in Zimbabwe. Zifa will not stand by and watch Yadah FC dragging football into an abyss. Zifa will take corrective measures to deal with this presumptuous disregard of club licencing dictates. The association has ordered Yadah FC management to put their house in order and ensure that they have qualified personnel manning their technical bench in their next league assignment, as per club licensing requirements," Gwesela said.

Yadah FC went on to lose the match 7-2.

They play their next league match against Chicken Inn at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday.

The club has said that they will have coaches on the bench in their next match, but it is not clear whether they will restore Tapera.

Football can be really be cruel. That’s exactly how Prophet Walter Magaya will probably look at his team's clash against visiting Chicken Inn yesterday. If football was all about church and the bible, he would have simply instructed his followers not to humiliate their 'papa' anymore, and maybe it would have worked.

A share of the spoils could have sufficed for both teams, as no team deserved the full points really. Both teams played like bunch of primary school boys going about their midweek kick around and the match was eventually a big yawn until midfielder Innocent Mucheneka scored an unlikely winner for the visitors with what was virtually the last kick of the game.

Even Chicken Inn coach Rahman Gumbo admitted that his side were not at their usual self as they struggled to break down the home side.

“We have won yes and I think it’s down to our impressive away form. We have won all games on the road and also I complacency crept into the boys especially considering that they watched this side being beaten 7-2 in Bulawayo last week. Also we were missing about seven players through injury but I think Yadah did well, they played much better than they did last week against Bantu. But I never doubted that we would win this game,” Gumbo said.

Going into yesterday’s match all eyes were on the Yadah FC technical area, and at least there were some changes. Themba Ruzive came in as stand-in coach for the home side — but Jairos Tapera’s fate remains clouded in mystery. Former coach Kudakwashe Masawure — who guided Yadah FC into the Premiership — was also on the bench albeit as a “physic trainer”. The game itself was stripped bare of any excitement, quality at least the entire opening half.

For Yadah they would have been proud of the way they exerted themselves following last week’s shameful outing in which they were given a thorough shellacking by Bantu Rovers in Bulawayo. In that match, Yadah travelled to Bulawayo missing their entire technical team, and like “lost sheep” the 7-2 hiding sent social media into overdrive with the Walter Magaya side being ridiculed with all sorts of mockery.

Chicken Inn on their part didn’t display their usual flair as a number of regulars like Darryl Nyandoro, and Clement Matawu were not in the team. The handful of fans who paid their way into the National Sports Stadium perhaps were the most hard done after paying their way to watch a match that lacked intensity and energy. The real value for entertainment was probably the Yadah FC fans who tried in vain to cheer their boys to give them a better show worthy of their loud voices.

The two teams just didn’t show up really as they blew hot and cold and it was certainly a thoroughly dispiriting show performance from both sides. Players like Tafadzwa Kutinyu, Teenage Hadebe, Kudakwashe Gurure and Obadiah Tarumbwa played as if they had weights in their ankles and struggled to make use of the wider National Sports Stadium pitch.

In the end, a lapse in concentration deep in injury time proved costly for the home side as they allowed Mucheneka to ghost in from the blind side to tap in, what proved to be the winner.

Ruzive played down the absence of Tapera, insisting his side are doing well despite losing their third match on the spin.

“I thought we played very well and could have won the game but the right back somehow lost his cool and allowed their player to cross the ball from, which we conceded. We are disappointed to lose but then we aren’t dropping our heads because we are doing what we have been doing when coach Tapers was here, I’m sure he will be back, for our next game against FC Platinum,” he said.

CAPS United might have charmed many neutrals with a solid, and at times quality, performance in their victory over Algerian giants USM Alger on Wednesday, but that CAF Champions League adventure came at a huge cost for the Green Machine amid revelations the club suffered huge losses.

The Harare giants do not have a sponsor to bankroll their commitments on the continent, which come at a huge financial cost to the club's owner Farai Jere, and the joy of their 2-1 victory over the Algerians was yesterday being diluted by the reality of the big losses the club suffered.

"The losses are very huge, we have done the figures, the reconciliation and it's staggering to tell you the truth," Jere told The Herald.

"The figures just don't add up and I had a lunch meeting with the ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa where I told him of the serious predicament that we find ourselves in right now and to also appraise him of the losses that we suffered.

"It was a great game, no doubt about that, we showed our quality that we can play the best teams on the continent and that first half show was one of the best that I have seen CAPS United play in a very long time, the composure on the ball, the passing and everything that you want to see from a football club.

"The character that we showed in the second half, when they equalised, to refuse to settle for a point but take the game to them, even when we knew they were a dangerous side, and to get a superb winner was just out of this world.

"But amid all that joy that it brought, the reality is that we ran huge losses just to host that match and we have been looking at the figures and they are frightening and I even told the ZIFA boss that while our quest is to do well in this competition for our country, there comes a time when we also have to ask ourselves if we can continue to sustain such losses."

CAPS United had to pay for the match officials' air travel, accommodation, food and allowances in Harare and had also to take care of the Algerians' accommodation costs as part of a deal reached by the clubs in Group B where the host team takes care of the accommodation costs for the visitors.

The Green Machine had expected a bumper crowd, to help them offset some of the costs, but while a sizeable number of fans paid to watch the match, it wasn't the number they had hoped for.

The club had hoped to have, at least, 15 000 paying fans — just for them to break even — but less than half that number paid to watch the match. Given that the game was played in the afternoon, on a working day, all worked against the Green Machine in attracting neutrals to the stadium.

The only helping hand that CAPS United received was from Impala Holdings chief executive Thompson Dondo who paid for scores of fans to cheer the team as part of a deal that was brokered by the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association. The former Kiglon FC chief executive had promised to help CAPS United in the future.

In sharp contrast, while CAPS were left to deal with the bills, their opponents are well funded and have a number of sponsors helping their cause.

The Algerians have been sponsored by Sonelgaz, the state-run company in charge of power and natural gas in that country, since 1977, with the huge firm employing about 20 000 people.

They have also been sponsored by Djezzy, the principal mobile network operator in Algeria with a market share of over 65 percent and more than 17 million subscribers, since 2005.

CAPS United have been waiting for a possible marriage with NetOne which, despite showing signs of being sealed two months ago, remains to be concluded.

USM Alger are kitted by Spanish company Joma, having cut ties with Adidas five years ago, and the club owner Ali Haddad is one of the richest people in Algeria, and on the continent, with a net worth of about $300 million. Jere said although the playing level was titled against them, his men will continue to fight on.

"Obviously, the playing field is not level in terms of the resources that are available to the teams that are in our group but we have the talent, as we showed on Wednesday, and we can go very far in this competition if our boys retain their focus and are not disturbed by off-the-field issues. We are representing our country with pride and I have been receiving a lot of calls from all over the country from people saying they are proud of what we did on Wednesday, not only by winning, but doing it in style and that is what a nation like ours need," said Jere.

"We tend to underestimate the value of football, in terms of nation building, and we are happy to play our part to cheer the spirits of our country and the games are coming thick and fast and, hopefully, by the time that we play our next game against the Libyans next week, we will have more people coming to watch us and that can help boost our coffers.

"What we can control, as a team, is just to play our football, quality football, and there is a certain quality of football that people cannot resist and will come and watch and I believe that on Wednesday we gave them that opportunity to see what we can do. In our last four matches against teams that have won the Champions League and finished as runners-up in the last two years, we have lost just once, away in Egypt, and that shows our quality and coach Lloyd Chitembwe and his players deserve all the praise they are getting," said Jere.

WARRIORS’ interim coach Norman Mapeza says he didn’t have a fallout with Walter Magaya on Sunday night and is deeply hurt that his team’s flying start to their 2019 AFCON campaign has been relegated by the negativity of a rift between him and the football-mad prophet.

Social media has been buzzing that Mapeza and Magaya fell out, in spectacular fashion, on Sunday night. But the coach, who had a lengthy chat with the prophet yesterday, said he was deeply troubled by suggestions of a major rift between the two. Mapeza’s statement came on the eve of an announcement by ZIFA of the identity of the two other caretaker coaches, today, who will take charge of the Warriors’ 2017 CHAN assignments and the 2017 COSAFA qualifiers. ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa said the Warriors will be led by different coaches in the CHAN and COSAFA battles.

There has been pressure on Mapeza by his employers, FC Platinum, to concentrate on the Zvishavane miners as they attempt to win the league championship for the first time in their history and ZIFA felt loading him with CHAN and COSAFA assignments would be too much for him.

Magaya converted part of his new plush hotel complex in Harare’s Waterfalls area, the exclusive VVIP wing, into a camping site for the Warriors, who stayed there for two weeks preparing for their battle against the Lone Star, provided his Yadah Stadium for the team’s training sessions and also provided the food consumed during that camp while also taking care of all the team’s laundry requirements.

But no sooner had the Warriors completed a 3-0 victory over the West Africans, in a game which new skipper Knowledge Musona scored a hat-trick, did reports emerge that there had been a spectacular fallout between Mapeza and Magaya and this had filtered into the Warriors’ squad, not only dampening the celebrations among the players, but also dividing their triumphant camp.

Mapeza is reported to have stormed out of the Warriors’ team bus, in protest over the move by his players, technical staff and some ZIFA leaders to travel to a Sunday evening church service that was being conducted by Magaya, at his Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries church in Harare, to thank the prophet for the part he played in the victory over Liberia.

Chiyangwa led the Warriors’ delegation to that church service where he thanked Magaya and the PHD partners for coming to their aid by providing the team with a conducive camping site, and training ground, ahead of the battle against Liberia.

Mapeza, speaking from his base in Zvishavane, claimed there was a deliberate mission by "those who probably didn’t want us to win the game against Liberia to divert the attention of the nation from the positive result we posted, in a pressure game, to negative issues that did not have a basis," as part of a wider conspiracy against his team.

"I can tell you that I am very disturbed by all these things that I have been hearing that I had a fallout with Prophet Magaya on Sunday because nothing can be further from the truth. I called the team manager (Wellington Mpandare) earlier today (yesterday) and, on his phone, I managed to talk to the prophet to tell him that it was wrong for people to try and divide us for their selfish reasons when we had built, in the past two weeks, a very strong relationship. I told him that during our time in camp I really bonded with him very well and that is why I accepted that he should even come to our training sessions and I could discuss with him issues relating to our preparations," said Mapeza.

"I told him that we owe him a lot for all that he did in giving us a good camping base where we were able to prepare for the game against Liberia without any distractions. When we won that game, it appears, some people who didn’t want us to win then found something very negative because they didn’t want the positive story. You can tell from all the emotions that I showed on Sunday that I was someone who was under a lot of pressure because I knew that this was a very important game and I also told the prophet that, by giving us a base to camp, he became part of us and if we hadn’t won the criticism would not spare him. I don’t even have my voice right now, because of all the screaming I did in that game just to ensure the boys win the game so that we could take away all that pressure and also prove wrong those who didn’t want us to win and I am glad the team won but I am also disappointed that their victory is now being overshadowed by all this negative talk."

Mapeza, who was set to reunite with his FC Platinum players yesterday for a training session ahead of a league match tomorrow, said he couldn’t understand how he would agree to spend two weeks at Magaya’s complex and, after winning the game against Liberia, suddenly turn against the prophet. It also has to be made clear that no one in camp was forced to attend church, not me and not my players, because we all come from different religious backgrounds and, by the way, Qadr Amini is a Moslem and everyone respects that and those who went to church chose to do that, said Mapeza.

"After our game I had my programme because, people tend to forget, I am employed by FC Platinum and I had to make the arrangements to come here as quickly as possible. It’s sad that we are discussing all these negative things right now, which have no basis, when we should be talking about all the positive things that happened on Sunday and celebrate such a big victory."

Magaya confirmed speaking to Mapeza yesterday and said his decision to give the Warriors $1 000 each as winning bonuses would stand and he has never forced anyone to come to his church. "It’s a choice for someone to be part of us at the church and, as I said, my aim is not to cause any havoc but to help my country, nothing more and nothing less, and I just do all this for my nation because I am passionate about seeing us doing well in various sectors, including football," he said.

"I was humbled by the people, including the ZIFA president, who came to thank us for helping the team and I also salute the coach for the win, he has done well and we are all one family as Zimbabweans, which is what matters to me."

A HARARE magistrate yesterday cancelled a warrant of arrest issued against Zimbabwean football champions Caps United’s former club captain, Moses Muchenje.

Muchenje appeared in court yesterday after he was served with a warrant of arrest for failing to pay a $800 fine imposed by a Harare magistrate after his conviction on six counts of traffic offences.

Muchenje (25), who appeared before magistrate Ruramayi Chitumbura, had been ordered to pay the money by June 8, but failed, forcing the court to issue a warrant for his arrest.

However, Muchenje pleaded with the court for the cancellation of the warrant, saying he had been out of the country with his team for a Confederation of African Football Champions League match.

Magistrate Chitumbura cancelled the warrant, but ordered him to pay the money immediately or risk being jailed.

Muchenje was convicted for driving without a valid driver’s licence, failure to stop after an accident, failure to report an accident, driving without vehicle insurance and negligent driving after he was involved in a hit-and-run accident.

In convicting him, magistrate Chitumbura had ruled that Muchenje, as a celebrity and football team captain, should lead by example, as many young people were looking up to him.

Caps United subsequently stripped Muchenje of the captaincy on the grounds that his behaviour did not befit a leader.

Chitumbura further said Muchenje deserved a stiff penalty so as to discourage would-be offenders.

According to the State, on April 8 this year, at corner Herbert Chitepo Avenue and Prince Edward Street, Muchenje, who did not have a valid licence, was driving a Honda Fit.

He collided with Douglas Gahadzikwa’s vehicle after he drove through a red traffic light.
 
As a result of the collision, both vehicles sustained serious damages at the front and Muchenje then fled the scene without reporting the accident.

Muchenje’s vehicle was tracked down and it was found out that the vehicle did not have valid insurance cover.
Usheunesu Mhiti represented the State.

BAD boy Roderick Mutuma has dumped Highlanders and headed back to the capital to join Yadah Stars FC barely six months after signing for Bosso from Dynamos.

Sources close to the player and Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries run outfit last night said the player penned a $4 000 six-month deal with Prophet Walter Magaya, who immediately transferred the money into the lanky forward’s account and also promised him a monthly salary of $1 000.

“Mutuma is no longer a Highlanders’ player. He has moved to Yadah FC after a largely unhappy six months at the Bulawayo giants over money issues,” said the source.

Highlanders’ chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube was not reachable for comment last night, but a member of the the club’s executive, who requested anonymity “because abadala (the board) are yet to be told” confirmed that the player had asked to be released.

“The club could not say no to his request. I am sure though that our head of secretariat (Dube) will be able to give you a detailed statement if you get hold of him, but if you fail then most certainly he will do so tomorrow,” said the executive member.

Efforts to get confirmation from Yadah FC officials were fruitless too, with a lady who answered one of their phones saying the relevant persons were attending a church service.

“You should have called earlier, not now because the people you want to talk to are already worshipping as the prophet has a television programme and will not respond to your phone calls. God Bless you,” said the lady.

Nicknamed The Prince, Mutuma becomes one of the few players to ever play for the country’s big three clubs, Highlanders, Caps United and Dynamos.

CAPS United’s return to the Castle Lager Premiership was a horror show, as bad as their last dance in the top-flight league, as the champions crashed at the National Sports Stadium last night.

The champions, who lost 0-2 to Yadah Stars in their last home assignment, slumped to another defeat yesterday as How Mine became the first club to defeat the Green Machine in a league match at their fortress in Lloyd Chitembwe’s current spell as coach.

Zambian coach Kelvin Kaindu found that winning touch for his men to end CAPS United’s lengthy unbeaten league run at home, in their fortress, which had stretched to 22 games dating back to September 2015.

And, when one takes into account the two home matches that CAPS United used Rufaro as their home ground last year, and the two matches under Mark Mathe before Chitembwe’s arrival, the champions hadn’t lost at home in 26 league games stretching two years.

Their last defeat had come in a 0-1 loss to How Mine on July 26, 2015.

This was CAPS United’s third loss in a league match this season and after just 10 games, they have lost as many matches as they lost all season (three), on their way to becoming champions.

Kuda Musharu, Thembani Masuku and Pasca Manhanga were on target for the visitors last night while Tafadzwa Rusike scored Makepekepe’s consolation goal.

After conceding four goals in their last Champions League encounter, surely, there is something wrong with the CAPS United defence.

But it will be unfair not to give credit to How Mine who played with great spirit and were deserved winners as their better stamina in the second half swept them to a great victory.

Teams

CAPS United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1
How Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)3



CAPS United: P. Chigumba, H. Zvirekwi, R. Pfumbidzai, C. Mudzambwa, J. Jangano (K. Nyamupfukudza 70th min), D. Chafa, M. Muchenje (C. Kamhapa 58th min), P. Bamusi, R. Chitiyo, A. Amidu, T. Rusike (D. Chungwa 70th min).

How Mine: M. Diya (F. Sibanda 46th min), P. Tonha, M. Ncube, K. Chideu, F. Mukarati, M. Sakala, T. Bnda, K. Musharu, T. Masuku, T. January.

KHAMA BILLIAT has turned to King David’s prayer as he battles a vicious onslaught launched on him by the South African media where the Warriors talisman is being portrayed as a hopelessly wayward footballer whose career is dramatically veering off course because of questionable professional- ism.

There are even mounting calls from the media for his club Mamelodi Sundowns to dump him from their ranks amid reports Billiat has allegedly become toxic to the dressing room because of his alleged lack of discipline which includes, but not limited to, arriving at training sessions in a drunken state.

The Zimbabwe international forward, who turns 27 in a month’s time, has turned from “Golden Boy to Bad Boy” in some sections of the South African media who have been feasting on him in the last few days since the Sunday Times published an article last weekend which painted a graphic image of Billiat being a footballer who has lost his way.

The Sunday Times threw the first big punch when it said, based on reports from multiple sources, it had uncovered that Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe and coach Pitso Mosimane had been advised to get rid of the ‘’errant’’ Zimbabwean because of his alleged wayward behaviour with the newspaper saying:

Multiple well-placed sources at the club have said that Billiat has on numerous occasions arrived at the club base in Chloorkop under the influence of alcohol and often falls foul of the law because of his reckless lifestyle.

Sundowns have put a lid on Billiat’s wayward ways because both Motsepe and Mosimane have a soft spot for him.

In a bid to keep him on the straight and narrow, the technical team includes Billiat in match squads even though he is not part of the selected team so they can keep a close eye on him.

• Billiat is accused of arriving at training on numerous occasions under the influence of alcohol, being involved in a fight with bouncers at a popular Rosebank nightclub, club officials have bailed him out on numerous occasions at the police station after he was arrested for domestic violence and drinking and driving.

The body corporate at the luxury estate where he stays in Kyalami have lodged many complaints about noise as a result of his partying lifestyle, fighting with security officials at Loftus after he arrived at the venue as a non-playing member “in a drunken state” and the incident prompted the technical team to force him to attend camp even when he was not part of the playing squad.

He is not resting enough and on one night early this year he was robbed of a luxury watch and an undisclosed amount of money at gunpoint at a convenience store in Kyalami after midnight during the week.

The club’s protection of Billiat has infuriated and divided his teammates who have accused the officials of treating him with kid gloves compared to other errant players.

Another newspaper, The Citizen, joined in the feast yesterday and said Billiat could now be sold because of his wayward be- haviour.

‘’Mamelodi Sundowns may be forced to sell khama Billiat to a Saudi Arabian team to avoid a dirty war with the player’s representatives,’’ the newspaper said adding it had ‘’learnt that Billiat’s representatives have accused the club of dirty tricks after media reports emerged suggesting the 26-year-old had attended one of the training sessions while under the influence of alcohol’’.

That Sundowns have not dared to go on record to dismiss the stories and defend Billiat has fed the theory that the club appears to have throw the Zimbabwean forward to the media wolves and the club could be the source of the damaging stories.

Interestingly, the Pretoria club quickly leapt to defend themselves when they were accused of withholding Billiat, who was injured, from a call to join the Warriors ahead of their 2019 AFCON qualifier against Liberia last month.

Saudi club Al Nasr are reported to be interested in Billiat but Sundowns are believed to have placed a $3 million buyout clause on the forward.

Yesterday Billiat, who rejects all the allegations against him, appeared to find solace in King David’s prayer.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting, ??Psalms? ?139:23-24,’’ the Zimbabwean posted on his Facebook account.

‘’#InGodwetrust#’’ closed Billiat.

So, what does this mean?

‘’In asking God to search me, I am inviting Him also to open my heart so that I might receive the conviction of His Spirit. I am saying, ‘Point out anything in me that offends you, and I will listen to you!” an expert argues.

‘’Again, it implies an intense anxiety to be perfect as God would have him to be — conformed to the holy will of God. Observe, he prays that his heart may be searched to see if there was anything wicked within, and to be led in the way everlasting, which plainly implies that he was willing to be led to abandon all evil.

‘’An individual who makes such a request as this must have an intense longing of mind to be entirely delivered from the dominion of evil. Again, this request, to be acceptable, must also imply, I suppose, that the individual offering it, is not at the time conscious of living in sin — conscious of indulging in any known sin.

“The Psalmist would not have made such a request as this, if he had been at the time indulging in sin: he would surely not have asked God to search him to see if there was any wickedness in him, if he was at the same time conscious of indulging in known sin. Had this been the case he could not have made such a request as this without (displaying) downright hypocrisy.

‘’But again, the acceptable offering of such a petition as this implies the assumption, on the part of the petitioner, that he needs to be deeply tried — penetrated with the light of truth to the deepest recesses of his soul.

‘’When an individual offers such a petition, he assumes that there may be such things about him as he has himself overlooked, and he asks for the scrutiny of God’s eye to search it out.’’