By Ishemunyoro Chingwere
The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title-chasing duo of log leaders Highlanders and third-placed Harare City cross swords at Rufaro this afternoon in a match that might decide the crown’s destiny while second-placed Dynamos, away to Chicken Inn, hope to keep up with the pack.
It is a weekend in which the trio will dread the slightest of mistakes as this will automatically give an advantage to their rivals.
With the defending champions away to tricky Chicken Inn, a bumper crowd of predominantly DeMbare fans is expected at the ceremonial home of Zimbabwean football and will obviously be rooting for third- placed Harare City with the hope that the Sunshine City Boys will, however, not catch up with their team.
Bosso, missing their head coach Zambian Kelvin Kaindu, who is in the UK for a Uefa B coaching course, will thus not only need probably to play their best football of the season but will now also need nerves of steel to rise above the potential bumper crowd that will throng Rufaro for this blockbuster clash.
In Bulawayo, Chicken Inn are expecting Dynamos who welcome back defender Partson Jaure and midfield dynamo Tawanda Muparati, to come out guns blazing while they have their “pride to defend”.
In an interview yesterday, Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas said: “It’s a massive game before us as there is so much at stake. We are aware they (Dynamos) will come out guns blazing, but we will be ready to defend our reputation.”
That match officials have hogged the limelight, albeit for all the wrong reasons, probably more than ever before, is threatening to take the gloss off this highly competitive and exciting footballing season and one hopes that today it will be the players’ match-winning exploits which will grab the headlines.
Highlanders’ tally of 51 points, just a point ahead of the chasing duo of Dynamos and City, gives them a chance to effectively end the latter’s title aspirations and be crowned champions for the first time since Methembe Ndlovu led them back in 2006, provided Dynamos lose to Chicken Inn this afternoon.
They, however, come face-to-face with the Sunshine City Boys whose pedigree cannot be underestimated and their coach Bigboy Mawiwi yesterday was full of confidence that they will beat Bosso today.
“I am very positive we have what it takes to beat Highlanders tomorrow (today).
“We played the same opponent only last week and with a bit of luck we could have won the match in regulation time, only to lose in the penalty shootout.
“We are very much relaxed going into the match as underdogs with pressure actually mounting on Highlanders,” Mawiwi said.
Mawiwi was by yesterday still sweating over the availability of star player Silas Songani, who proved to be quite a handful for Bosso defenders last week in the Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-final.
So instrumental has Songani been this season that he has been getting the nasty ends of tackles and his coach feels match officials are not doing enough to protect his shining star.
Bosso, for their part, will have a full squad to choose from, including returning veteran striker Njabulo Ncube, who saw red in that ill-tempered 0-1 defeat to Dynamos and stand-in coach Bhekithemba Ndlovu believes the title is theirs to lose.
“We have come a very long way, my brother.
“The players have given it their all since last season and I feel it will be fair if they are rewarded with the league title.
“We appeal to our fans in Harare to come to the stadium in numbers and stand in defence of their team and give us that extra push to go all the way.
“We are aware City are quite a formidable challenge and the position that they are in bears testimony of their ability, but we find courage in that they have never beaten us since they were promoted into the top flight league,” Ndlovu said.
Fixtures
Chicken Inn v Dynamos (BF), Black Mambas v Tripple B (Morris Depot), How Mine v FC Platinum (Luveve), Buffaloes v Monomotapa (Sakubva), Black Rhinos v Hwange (Rimuka), Harare City v Highlanders (Rufaro) and Shabanie v Triangle (Maglas). The Sunday Mail
