The biggest clash in Zimbabwe's Premiership

IT'S always billed as one of the biggest clashes in the Premiership every season when Zimbabwe's most successful club, Dynamos, take on the country's oldest team, Highlanders,

The duel at Barbourfields tomorrow is no exception.

The matches involving the teams - deemed as the Big Brothers of the Castle Lager Premiership - have always been intriguing and tension-filled.

Bosso, with seven league titles under their belts, command the biggest support base in Bulawayo, their hometown, where they were formed in 1926.

DeMbare, the country's most supported football club, also have a big following, with scores of their fans set to travel from different parts of the country for the clash.

The tie has been outstanding from round five as 18-time champions Dynamos were committed in the continental cup but, now that they have been booted out, it's all set, game and match.

Yesterday, former Dynamos coach Sunday Chidzambwa paid a courtesy call to the team's training session at Raylton Sports Club and briefly addressed the players.

Chidzambwa is the most successful Zimbabwean coach of all-time and took DeMbare to the final of the Champions League in 1998.

The visit, in a way, psyched up the players, many of whom are eager to break into the South African Premiership where Chidzambwa is coaching Black Leopards.

Matches of this magnitude can either be explosive and produce a lasting impression for the fans or can prove to be a big yawn as both teams take a cautious approach.

Dynamos have the bragging rights going into this game after winning the last league meeting with Rodrick Mutuma scoring a brace while Martin Vengesayi weighed in with another goal in the 3-1 win.

Midfielder Erick Mudzingwa scored for Highlanders at Rufaro.

In the first half of the season, the tie had ended in a goalless draw at BF.

Currently, Highlanders are unbeaten in the league after 14 games and need just to avoid this defeat to finish the first round without a loss.

Bosso, however, have dropped points after being held to stalemates by Buffaloes, Chicken Inn, Motor Action, Harare City and Quelaton.

Innocent Mapuranga, the Highlanders captain, yesterday promised fireworks.

"It's going to be a good game because all the teams really want to win. We are working very hard to get a positive result," said Mapuranga.

Highlanders' coach Kelvin Kaindu has built his team around a mobile midfield that has Mthulisi Maphosa as the influential figure while Mudzingwa has also been impressive

Peter "Rio" Moyo, Graham Ncube, Masimba Mambare and Milton Ncube have also provided the cutting edge with Ariel Sibanda a trusted cadre in goals.

It's a pity Mambare, who has proved one of the most influential figures at Bosso, will miss the big game.

In 2010, a BancABC Super8 semi-final involving the two teams was abandoned in the 73rd minute following crowd trouble as Dynamos were leading 1-0.

Now, because of their comfortable position on the table, Mapuranga believes they will be less pressure from their fans.

"The pressure is minimal but anywhere we are used to handling pressure. We have prepared for this game like another matches we have played before," said Mapuranga.

The Highlanders centreback said God has been the greatest inspiration to their good run.

"I think God has been the major driving force behind the team's good run.

"We also need the supporters to be behind us," said Mapuranga.

The hosts will be hoping to derive confidence from the absence of the Dynamos magician, Denver Mukamba, with question marks hanging over the availability of 'keeper Washington Arubi.

Dynamos are set to field former Gunners goalkeeper George Chigova if Arubi fails to arrive in Bulawayo today while Mukamba is out of this match.

Assistant coach Tonderayi Ndiraya also revealed that DeMbare will be without battle-hardened midfielder Murape Murape and rookie midfielder Farai Mupasiri will miss the match because of injury.

"We have not heard anything from Arubi for now and we have one goalkeeper on stand-by in case he does not come," said Ndiraya.

Arubi is one of the players credited for Dynamos' success in both the Mbada Diamonds Cup and the league as he was outstanding between the posts. Now the former Highlanders' goalkeeper is on the verge of joining newly-promoted South African Premiership side Pretoria University, Chigova should be bracing for his first start for the Glamour Boys.

Dynamos skipper George Magariro this week said the players have put behind them the 1-0 defeat to Interclube of Angola which saw them bowing out of Caf Confederation Cup last Sunday in Luanda.

"We have been preparing and motivating the players as best as possible," said Ndiraya.

Giant forward Takesure Chinyama has made it into the travelling team but will have to pass a late fitness test.

"Chinyama is in the final 18 and we are going with him but right now we have not decided if he will start the game or come from the bench," said Ndiraya.

Dynamos, Ndiraya said, have not been reading much into Highlander's impressive run as they were pre-occupied with their own preparations.

"We are going to give it all so that we collect maximum points. In our preparations, we have been concentrating on our team and not what is happening at Highlanders. At the end of the day we do not have control over them and that is why we are prepare for whatever Highlanders give us," said Ndiraya.

Dynamos will have a hectic fixture as they are going to play CAPS United next week before meeting FC Platinum in another outstanding fixture. "There is nothing that we can do about the outstanding fixtures but only have to clear the backlog. It's going to take a toll on the casualties but we have 27 registered players who can compete with juniors like Leeory Murape and Mupasiri showing potential," said Ndiraya.

Dynamos are also assessing another Zambian, Davies Mwape, with a view of signing him if he makes the grade.