The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
ZIFA Division Two side, Nabals believe they can make an upset and write their own piece of history when they face Chicken Inn in the Provincial Knockout Competition at Desert Ground in Njube today.
Coach Emmanuel Gato believes they are coming into the match with an underdogs tag but are happy to carry it.
He said being a cup match, they are ready to upset, Chicken Inn, who have been labelled favourites to win the cup.
Nabals sit on 10th position on the log while Chicken Inn are second and the gulf between them show how highly rated the latter is.
“I think we were handed a fair draw because at this stage of the tournament you should be ready to take on any side.
“The position on the log will not matter. It is not by a fluke that we are in the semi-finals, we worked hard to be here and for us we are ready to play Chicken Inn, we have played them before and we know their type of play so we are planning how to handle them.
“They can underestimate us at their own peril but we are focused on the game and we are aiming at nothing but a win. Players are ready to make their own piece of history,” said Gato.
Nabals beat How Mine on penalties in the first round after the match ended in a stalemate while in the quarter-finals, they dispatched Bhekeni Celtic 1-0.
In the other semi-final to be played today, FMSA Umguza takes on Quality Foods in what is also expected to be a tightly contested match.
Zifa Bulawayo Province acting chairman Allan Mpofu said it was a fair draw with any of the four sides in with a huge chance to make it to the top.
“Although Chicken Inn and Quality Foods have been fighting for promotion at the top and Nabals and FMSA Umguza have been hovering at the bottom cup games are not predictable and we cannot rule out upsets. I think we are in for good matches,” he said.
Winners of the tournament will walk away with $4 000, while the losing finalists will get $2 000 and $1 000 will go to losing semi-finalists.
Fixtures
Today: FSMA Umguza vs Quality Foods (Luveve High 3PM), Chicken Inn vs Nabals (Njube Desert 3PM)
