Lawrence Moyo
Head Zimpapers Sports
IMPRESSIVE Highlanders defender and vice captain Peter Muduhwa is now out of the running for the Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year contest after he was slapped with a four-match ban by the Premier Soccer League disciplinary committee.
The outcome of the disciplinary hearing, which was conducted on September 26, was revealed on Tuesday.
Muduhwa was found guilty of inciting violence during the ill-fated Battle of Zimbabwe between Dynamos and Highlanders at Barbourfields on September 10.
Selection rules for the Soccer Star of the Year disqualify any player charged and found guilty by the PSL disciplinary committee during the season under review.
Muduhwa has been one of the stand out players in the current Premiership season, which saw him being appointed captain of the Warriors as they played Botswana in an international friendly as part of the neighbouring country’s independence celebrations.
He has already been linked with a possible move to neighbouring countries where clubs offer better packages, South Africa being top of the list.
The 30-year-old hard man was one of the reasons Highlanders went on a 19-match unbeaten run in the league championship race where they had 15 clean sheets, conceding a goal each on four occasions.
And, despite a miserable run of one win in their last seven matches where they have let in 12 goals, including the 0-3 Dynamos boardroom result, Highlanders (16) currently have the league’s second best defence behind DeMbare who have let in 11 goals in 26 matches.
Muduhwa’s PSL ban will keep him out of half of Highlanders’ remaining eight matches and, barring changes to the fixture programme, he will miss matches against Cranborne Bullets (home), Greenfuel (away), Bulawayo Chiefs (home) and CAPS United (home).
He will then return for the remaining four matches against Triangle (away), Herentals (home), Manica Diamonds (away) and Ngezi Platinum (home).