The Sunday News
Sports Reporter
CRESTFALLEN Highlanders will be out for Chibuku Super Cup glory when they take on Shabanie Mine at Ascot Stadium in Gweru this afternoon.
Bosso are coming from two defeats on the trot in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League having fallen to Black Rhinos and erstwhile rivals, Dynamos by similar score lines of 1-0 and they will be hoping to lift their spirits after dropping three places on the log.
Highlanders had the benefit of playing at home and their fixture had initially been pencilled for Luveve Stadium but it was moved at the last minute following the closure of the venue due to ongoing renovations in preparation for the African Union Sports Council Region Five Youth Games earmarked for Bulawayo in December.
Ascot has proved an unfavourable hunting ground for the Bulawayo football giants this year as they are yet to win at the turf and their last match in Gweru saw them being booted out of the One Wallet Super 8 Cup by How Mine, 4-3 on penalties. They also drew with Chapungu in their first league fixture and lost to the same team on penalty shootouts in the pre-season in the CG Msipa Scholarship Fund tourney.
Highlanders will be hard pressed to come out victorious in the match to lift the mood of their restless fans who have seen their beloved team seemingly lose the plot in their quest for championship glory.
The Chibuku Cup has an illustrious history and was one of the most sought after trophies during its days, and the return of the knockout competition will certainly give an opportunity to current players to inscribe their own tales in the history of the cup.
Highlanders can draw on the fact that they have won it four times, beating a star-studded Mhangura 3-0 at Rufaro Stadium in 1973, followed by another emphatic 4-0 victory over Rio Tinto in 1980 and wins in 1984 and 1986.
They beat Dynamos 2-1 in 1984 and overcame Caps United in 1986 by the same scoreline.
The current squad will have to draw inspiration from the team that won the 1980 final as the team was just getting back into national football after they had withdrawn citing unfavourable decisions and coincidentally, the victory is then chairman, Ndumiso Gumede’s most memorable win.
Gumede is now the club’s chief executive officer.
Then 20-year-old Mark Watson was the hero of the day, scoring a hat-trick with Doubt Sithole adding another to make it four goals against their much fancied opponents, Rio Tinto.
Highlanders coach, Kelvin Kaindu will be wary of the pitch at Ascot and it has proved unfavourable to their type of passing game. Although they can stick to their usual formula, they might be forced to play long balls as they search for goals.
Kaindu said they will try and focus on the game and not think much about the pitch.
“We need to approach the game with the right mentality instead of thinking too much about the pitch. We appreciate that the turf does not suit our style of play but we can’t go there with a changed approach. We are going to play the way we are used to and can only change during the course of the game if we realise we are not achieving our aims,” he said.
The Zambian said the players would have to handle the pressure that will bear on them particularly after going for five games without a win.
“Football is a pressure game, whether you are coming from a win or loss the pressure will always be there and if you are involved in the game you have to develop means of handling the expectations,” he added.
Shabanie Mine will be eager to cash in on the Chibuku Cup as they seek to boost their coffers.
The team’s coach, John Phiri said being a money game, they will go out in full force and try to win the game within regulation time.
“This is a money game and the team hungrier for the cash is most certain to emerge victorious. However, fans can expect one of the most exciting games at Ascot and hope Shabanie supporters will be merrier at the end of the game,” he said.
Highlanders will be missing the services of Rahman Kutsanzira, Gabriel Nyoni and Simon Munawa while Shabanie will be without right winger, Tollbert Mthombeni due to injury.
Some of the players who rose to prominence as a result of the Chibuku tournament are stars such as Robert Godoka, the late David Phiri, Joseph Zulu, Jimmy Phiri, Willard Khumalo, Tobias Mudyambanje, Andrew Kadengu, the late Shaky Tauro, Stanley Ndunduma and Joel Shambo.
