Bosso, Dembare clash in second leg of Bob 89 Super Cup

HIGHLANDERS' defender and vice-captain Eric Mudzingwa is a doubtful starter in the must-win Bob 89 Super Cup second leg final against arch rivals Dynamos set for Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.

He has a suspected fractured rib.

Tshilamoya leave for Harare this morning by coach.

The Harare giants carry a 2-1 lead after goals from their captain Tawanda Muparati and Patrick Khumbula gave them a comfortable lead with Bosso scoring through Beavan Chikaka.

Highlanders need to overturn the scoreline if they are to come back to Bulawayo with the $100 000 winners' purse.

Losers will walk away with $70 000 after the organisers managed to source some sound sponsorship for the two-legged final that is part of President Mugabe's birthday celebrations.

President Mugabe turned 89 yesterday.

However the Tshilamoya family will be a worried lot with the absence of Mudzingwa who missed the first leg loss at Barbourfields Stadium where the central defensive pair of Innocent Mapuranga and Dumisani Fazo Ndlovu were a ball of nerves everytime the Glamour Boys were on the offensive.

The first goal was conceded right through the centre, a rare scenario for Highlanders since Kelvin Kaindu took over at the club.

There is a possibility that Bruce Tshuma could be thrust into the central defence to partner Mapuranga.

"We stand guided by what our medical team advises us but yes, Mudzingwa is carrying an injury which he picked up last season," said Kaindu.

Mudzingwa is understood to have fractured one of his right ribs towards the end of last season and he has to rest.

He however, aggravated the injury just before the first leg when he was kneed by goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya in the run up to the match.

Doctors said he needed a minimum of six weeks for the injury to heal and while he can play, their fear was that if he aggravates it, he might be out of action for a much longer period, a bigger blow to the team since the season will kick-off in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, Kaindu is not throwing in the towel as yet and believes it's still game on and his charges have what it takes to stun DeMbare in front of their supporters.

The Zambian tactician, whose boys are yet to win in the three matches they have played so far in 2013, said as far as they were concerned the match is at halftime stage.

"I believe in an attacking style of football and on Sunday we just have to do that, no two ways about it.

"We need, and badly so, to overturn that scoreline," said Kaindu.

He said he was impressed with the morale in his team especially on the zeal to shoot and score at any given opportunity.

"As you saw for yourself everyone was hungry to shoot and that on its own is a positive sign. We need to bring that trophy to Bulawayo," said Kaindu.

During the Wednesday training session at White City Stadium, the boys spent the better part practising shooting drills with players like Peter Rio Moyo even cracking shots from well outside the box while strikers Graham Ncube, Njabulo Ncube and Cleopas Dube were all taking cracks at goal at the slightest opportunity.

Former strikers Nqobile Mpala and Patrick "Mboma" Mpofu were also causing anxious moments.

Kaindu's boys though, in a desperate zeal to find goals, must be wary of being caught through counter-attacks by the equally goal hungry Dynamos strikers.

Skipper Muparati has started the season in blistering form, netting two goals in as many matches and will be one to worry about as he can shoot at any given opportunity.

In a related development, chairman of the Bob 89 Super Cup organising committee, Stan Kasukuwere, said all is set for the final leg on Sunday and revealed that two buses to carry supporters from Bulawayo and back will be dispatched tomorrow.

"We will have two buses to carry the Bulawayo based supporters who would want to celebrate with us.

"The buses will return to Bulawayo immediately after the match," said Kasukuwere.