Silver threaten to forfeit cup match
Silver Strikers are contemplating forfeiting Saturday’s Fisd Challenge Cup quarter-final match against holders Kamuzu Barracks (KB) if FAM ignores their request to postpone it.
The Central Bankers requested Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to shift the game due to their crammed fixtures which could see them play four games within seven days.
The club’s chairperson Ralph Tseka yesterday said: “We have still not received a response from FAM, but if they insist on having the game played, then we will have no choice but to forfeit the match.
“How can we play four crucial matches, including international games coupled with travelling within seven days? It is unheard of. Worse still, our team will arrive on Friday from Gabon, just a day before we play the Fisd Cup match.”
However, FAM competitions and media director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the fixture will not change.
“We asked them to play the game before their departure, but they insisted on playing upon their return and they were advised on the date.
“So, in as far as we are concerned, the fixture will not be revised because we are also operating on a tight calendar and we have responded to their e-mail,” he said.
The Central Bankers, who were in Gabon for yesterday’s CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first leg tie against A.O CMS, are scheduled to face KB on Saturday before hosting Masters Security FC in a TNM Super League encounter the following day.
Silver will then switch their focus to the return leg of the inter-club competition contest against the Gabonese side on Wednesday.
Tseka said they are not amused with both FAM and Super League of Malawi (Sulom) on the handling of their fixtures.
But Sulom vice-general secretary Major Thoko Chazema said it would be difficult to consider Silver’s complaint because the league-runners are also running against time to complete the fixtures before the end of December.
