No charity for Highlanders - Chunga

HARARE City coach Moses "Bambo" Chunga has declared that there will be no charity for holders Highlanders when the two sides clash in the Commander Zimbabwe National Army Charities shield final set for Barbourfields on Sunday.

Chunga yesterday reckoned that his team would not read much into the two teams' performances in the Premiership where Highlanders are sitting on the summit, while the Sunshine Boys are stuck in mid-table.

"We are prepared for the match and we are looking for nothing other than victory. The players were working hard all the week and we hope they will carry that attitude into Sunday's game.

"You can expect to watch some young players in that match," said Chunga.

Striker Martin Vengesai is also confident that they will overcome Bosso and land the silverware.

The two sides will clash in the $20 000 tournament which will see the winners pocketing $12 000 and runners-up walking home with $8 000.

Vengesai said the match is totally different from league matches and they are looking forward to the game with optimism.

"We are well prepared and we hope to win the cup and the game is different from league games so we will take it seriously.

"They have been playing well but this is a new game and we would like to win the cup. We are picking up our game and as a cup final there should be a winner at the end of the day''.

To secure a place in the final Harare City beat CAPS United 4-3 after penalties following a 1-1 deadlock in the quarter-finals.

The Sunshine Boys then booked a place with ZPC Kariba in the semi-finals and they dismissed the electricity men following a 3-0 triumph with Raphael Manuvire and Kuda Kumwala on target.

Bosso also needed a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over Premiership champions Chicken Inn after they had finished tied 1-1 in the quarter-finals.

The Bulawayo giants needed the luck of the penalty lottery again in order to dispatch FC Platinum in the semi-finals.

Now Bosso must clear the final hurdle posed by Chunga's Sunshine Boys in order to lift the cup.

Meanwhile, Harare City have insisted that Warriors midfielder Raphael Manuvire is staying put despite the pencil slim forward having fallen out of favour with Chunga.

Manuvire has seen little game time at Harare City since Chunga arrived to replace Taurai Mangwiro amid indications that the ex ZPC Kariba man had put in a transfer request.

But Harare City club official Hope Chizuzu maintained that Manuvire is staying put.

Chizuzu played down the player-coach rift between Chunga and Manuvire claiming the club had not received any formal communication from the midfielder concerning his exit.

"We have not received any formal communication from Manuvire as was reported by some sections of the media. Maybe he will do that but at the moment the only player we have released is Agrippa Murimba.

"We will obviously have some players coming on board and some leaving the club this mid season but we are not yet active on that issue," Chizuzu said.

Sources close to the Sunshine Boys camp however, indicated that defensive midfielder Farai Madhanhanga is also in the same predicament with Manuvire with the pair having been overlooked since their return from Warriors duty at the COSAFA Castle Cup in Windhoek, Namibia.

With the Harare City management not likely to release the midfield pair of Manuvire and Madhanhanga, the club's management may have to step in and clear the rift they may have with Chunga.

Premiership giants CAPS United are also reportedly keeping a close eye on Manuvire with a view to launch a second bid on the forward.