Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Chiefs could lift the inaugural $5 000 Liquor Hub Wholesale John Landa Nkomo Top Eight Cup without a sweat after their opponents ZPC Hwange threatened to boycott the final in protest over unpaid salaries and winning bonuses.
The match is set for Hartsfield Ground on Saturday afternoon. Some ZPC Hwange players told Chronicle Sport yesterday that they had been taken for granted for a long time and were seriously considering not travelling to Bulawayo for the final, although some felt it was an opportunity to get something.
The winners will pocket $1 500 and losing finalists $800. Losing semi-finalists will get $400 and teams that bowed out in the quarter-finals will receive $200.
“We have been living like paupers despite playing for a big institution like ZPC. How do you live on just $40 for two months? It’s peanuts and some of us are considering not coming to Bulawayo,” said one player.
ZPC Hwange were last week walked over by ZRP Bulawayo at their Chakona Stadium in Hwange after refusing to leave their dressing room after warm ups.
“Some of us are still considering coming over and playing; you never know what might happen,” said another player.
If the electricity generators eventually come for the final, it promises to be full of thrills and spills, as both teams have a different agenda to fight for.
Bulawayo Chiefs, pipped to the Division One title at the last hurdle by Bantu Rovers, will want to end the season with something to show for their sweat also as a consolation, while ZPC Hwange players are naturally fighting for their stomachs.
To get to the final, Bulawayo Chiefs knocked out Bantu Rovers 2-1 in the quarter-finals before accounting for ZRP Bulawayo 3-2 in the semis, while ZPC Hwange were 1-0 winners over Technosphere in the quarter-finals and 3-2 victors over Victoria Falls based Amagagasi after extra time.
According to the tournament rules, the match will go into extra time if the two finalists are tied after 90 minutes and thereafter it will be the dreaded shootouts.
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