The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
SINCE the most lucrative club competition in the country at the moment was brought back to life in 2014, Highlanders have never won the Chibuku Super Cup, something that coach Erol Akbay wants to bring to an end as they start their participation against Mutare City Rovers at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
In 2014, Highlanders, then under Kelvin Kaindu made it to the semi-finals of the competition where they were booted out by Harare City. Kaindu decided to leave his post after a 3-1 league loss to ZPC Kariba at Hartsfield which saw Bosso fans turn violent and throw stones at their players. It all fell apart as Highlanders went on to be drubbed 3-0 by Harare City.
Last season was even worse for Bosso who were coached by Bongani Mafu as they fell at the first hurdle, beaten on penalties by How Mine at Barbourfields. The match had ended 1-1 in normal time and headed for the dreaded penalty shootout where Chikurupati prevailed 4-3.
Highlanders meet a tricky Mutare City Rovers today who have already caused them headaches this season. Gusha Bhora held Bosso to a 0-0 draw at Sakubva in July before they embarrassed the giants in front of their fans at the beginning of last month. Kudakwashe Gurure and Caleb Masocha were on target for Mutare City as they triumphed 2-1 with the consolation for Highlanders scored by Simon Munawa.
Akbay believes that they can chase both the championship and the Chibuku Super Cup. The Dutchman has already tasted glory after winning the Zimbabwe National Army Commander’s Charities Shield with victory over Harare City. He also reached the final of the Independence Trophy which they lost to Chicken Inn. He is well aware that Mutare City come to Bulawayo with the belief that they can repeat what they did last month.
With Peter Muduhwa and Tendai Ndlovu, the two central defenders in top form, Akbay is convinced that the two will shut out Gurure. According to Akbay, Bosso have to find the target three or four times to ensure victory.
“My priority is both, not one, why both because the cup is starting this week then championship is still running that means if you can have both, why not. If you beat the big team almost two times that means you can do everything, that is the normal thing, what we have to do is focus more on our game, we have to play effective football to beat them, because in the beginning we had problems with their strikers and now we have two defenders who in the last few weeks have been doing nice things, I think it’s not a problem this time around. Only what we have to do is to score three or four times,’’ said Akbay.
His minimum target is to make it to the semi-finals. Asked if they have worked on penalties seeing that the match would have to be decided from the spot if the two teams are deadlocked after 90 minutes, Akbay declared that they have confidence in their goalkeepers to take them through to the next round.
“We have good ’keepers and we are working on a lot of things, some of them crosses. I deploy Ralph on the striker’s side and he is good in the air, if I did not have Ralph that means the crossing would not be working,’’ Akbay said.
Highlanders head into the fixture in high spirits after three league wins in row, the latest one being the 2-1 success over fierce rivals Dynamos last Sunday in what was the first time they have taken six points from DeMbare for the first time since 2006.
With Prosper Matutu still to make good recovery from ankle injury he picked up against How Mine, Ariel Sibanda looks certain to be picked in goals with the defence made up of Muduhwa, Ndlovu, Honest Moyo and Tendai Ngulube.
Erick Mudzingwa, Rahman Kutsanzira, Munawa, Allan Gahadzikwa, Brian Banda, Adrian Silla, King Nadolo, Douglas Sibanda are the options for Akbay in midfield. Prince Dube and Nhlanhla Dube have done well to put the opposition defence with the pair certain to be given a start upfront. Veteran Ralph Matema has become a super substitute with goals coming off the bench in the last two matches, a role that he could play again this afternoon. Speedy Gabriel Nyoni is another alternative when the opposition defence is tired.
Gurure as well as Masocha pose the biggest threat for Mutare City and the Bosso defence has to be at its best to stop them from leading their side to yet another famous victory at Emagumeni. The two have to gel well with Agrippa Murimba, Saprine Muchabaya and Collen Muzavazi for Taku Mushoriwa’s side to make it to the next round.
In other Chibuku Super Cup round of 16 fixtures lined up for this afternoon, last year’s beaten finalists Dynamos clash with How Mine while Triangle entertain Chicken Inn.
Fixtures
Today: Dynamos v How Mine (Rufaro Stadium), Triangle United v Chicken Inn (Gibbo Stadium), Highlanders v Mutare City Rovers (Barbourfields Stadium).
Twitter: @Mdawini_29
