Sports / Local
Highlanders target Easy Cup
03 Dec 2015 at 10:52hrs | Views
HIGHLANDERS captain Felix Chindungwe yesterday said they had set their sights on lifting the NetOne sponsored Easycall Cup to make up for a relatively poor season.
Dynamos stand in Highlanders' way to the final and the Bulawayo giants will have to eliminate their eternal rivals when they face off in a semi-final encounter at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
A confident Chindungwe said hunger for silverware and the fat winners' cheque of $80,000 were huge motivating factors.
The mobile network operator is bankrolling the tournament to the tune of $433,000 and the losing finalists are guaranteed of pocketing $50,000 while teams that made the semi-finals will each walk away with $30,000.
"This is a money game and going into the festive season, we'd like to have a real Merry Christmas by winning the Easycall Cup. Everyone believes that we really have to win this cup, not only for ourselves, but for the fans that have been fantastic throughout the season.
"Even when we weren't playing well, the fans kept cheering us on and there's only one way to pay back — lifting the Easycall Cup," said Chindungwe.
The defender said he knows that the Dynamos match will not be a walk in the park, but they are fully prepared.
Chindungwe believes if they display the same fighting spirit that saw them knocking out FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium courtesy of a late strike by the league's top goal scorer Knox Mutizwa, they will beat Dynamos.
"Whether you're playing for a dollar or nothing, the games against Dynamos are always tricky. With pride at stake, the supporters will be expecting nothing other than a victory.
"This season we came close to beating them twice in the league and we can't lose to them in the cup competition. If we continue with our hard work and unity of purpose, we'll win," he said.
Competition for places in the final 18 to do duty against DeMbare is intense.
Goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, who seems to have regained his confidence, conceding eight goals in nine league matches, is likely to start ahead of Njabulo Nyoni.
Central defenders vying for places in the starting 11 are Chindungwe, Erick Mudzingwa, Douglas Sibanda and Teenage Hadebe.
Bruce Kangwa will retain his left-back position while Tendai Ngulube and Peter Muduhwa will compete for the right-back role.
Nqobizitha Masuku, Edmore "Digo" Muzanenhamo, Valentine Ndaba, King Nadolo, Godfrey Makaruse and Simon Munawa are all competing for midfield positions while Obidiah Tarumbwa and Ralph Matema will be trusted to lead the strikeforce.
Mutizwa arrives tomorrow from a four-day trial stint with South African side Bidvest Wits and could start from the bench.
Highlanders controversially lost 2-3 to Dynamos in the first leg of their league encounter in Harare in June before playing to a 1-1 draw in the return match at Barbourfields Stadium.
Bosso last won a major trophy in 2013 when they lifted the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
Adding the Easycall Cup, a tournament reserved for the top eight teams, would give Highlanders' followers hope that their team is on the right path to challenging for the title next season.
With Dynamos missing their influential strikers Roderick Mutuma and Takesure Chinyama, who were both slapped with four-match suspensions after being found guilty of charging at referee Philani Ncube last month, Bosso should be wary of their replacements.
Kelvin Bulaji, Richard Kawondera and Farai Mupasiri are some of the strikers that Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya can turn to for goals.
Dynamos also have midfielders Stephen Alimenda and Ronald Chitiyo, goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva, the defensive trio of Ocean Mushure, Augustine Mbara and Sydney Linyama to pin their hopes on.
NetOne Easycall Cup semi-finals fixtures
Saturday: Chicken Inn v Caps United (Barbourfields)
Sunday: Highlanders v Dynamos (Barbourfields)
Dynamos stand in Highlanders' way to the final and the Bulawayo giants will have to eliminate their eternal rivals when they face off in a semi-final encounter at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
A confident Chindungwe said hunger for silverware and the fat winners' cheque of $80,000 were huge motivating factors.
The mobile network operator is bankrolling the tournament to the tune of $433,000 and the losing finalists are guaranteed of pocketing $50,000 while teams that made the semi-finals will each walk away with $30,000.
"This is a money game and going into the festive season, we'd like to have a real Merry Christmas by winning the Easycall Cup. Everyone believes that we really have to win this cup, not only for ourselves, but for the fans that have been fantastic throughout the season.
"Even when we weren't playing well, the fans kept cheering us on and there's only one way to pay back — lifting the Easycall Cup," said Chindungwe.
The defender said he knows that the Dynamos match will not be a walk in the park, but they are fully prepared.
Chindungwe believes if they display the same fighting spirit that saw them knocking out FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium courtesy of a late strike by the league's top goal scorer Knox Mutizwa, they will beat Dynamos.
"Whether you're playing for a dollar or nothing, the games against Dynamos are always tricky. With pride at stake, the supporters will be expecting nothing other than a victory.
"This season we came close to beating them twice in the league and we can't lose to them in the cup competition. If we continue with our hard work and unity of purpose, we'll win," he said.
Competition for places in the final 18 to do duty against DeMbare is intense.
Goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, who seems to have regained his confidence, conceding eight goals in nine league matches, is likely to start ahead of Njabulo Nyoni.
Bruce Kangwa will retain his left-back position while Tendai Ngulube and Peter Muduhwa will compete for the right-back role.
Nqobizitha Masuku, Edmore "Digo" Muzanenhamo, Valentine Ndaba, King Nadolo, Godfrey Makaruse and Simon Munawa are all competing for midfield positions while Obidiah Tarumbwa and Ralph Matema will be trusted to lead the strikeforce.
Mutizwa arrives tomorrow from a four-day trial stint with South African side Bidvest Wits and could start from the bench.
Highlanders controversially lost 2-3 to Dynamos in the first leg of their league encounter in Harare in June before playing to a 1-1 draw in the return match at Barbourfields Stadium.
Bosso last won a major trophy in 2013 when they lifted the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
Adding the Easycall Cup, a tournament reserved for the top eight teams, would give Highlanders' followers hope that their team is on the right path to challenging for the title next season.
With Dynamos missing their influential strikers Roderick Mutuma and Takesure Chinyama, who were both slapped with four-match suspensions after being found guilty of charging at referee Philani Ncube last month, Bosso should be wary of their replacements.
Kelvin Bulaji, Richard Kawondera and Farai Mupasiri are some of the strikers that Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya can turn to for goals.
Dynamos also have midfielders Stephen Alimenda and Ronald Chitiyo, goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva, the defensive trio of Ocean Mushure, Augustine Mbara and Sydney Linyama to pin their hopes on.
NetOne Easycall Cup semi-finals fixtures
Saturday: Chicken Inn v Caps United (Barbourfields)
Sunday: Highlanders v Dynamos (Barbourfields)
Source - chronicle
