‘Sup8r Cup crucial to Highlanders’ BULAWAYO soccer giants Highlanders want to end their cup drought by lifting the BancABC Sup8r Cup. Bosso however, have a tricky BancABC Sup8r Cup quarter-final as they take on FC Platinum at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo on Saturday. The match which will be broadcast live on Supersport kicks off at 12:30pm. Kelvin Kaindu, the Highlanders coach said they need the trophy more than any other club and that hunger for success was a motivating factor for the club whose trophy cabinet has gathered dust. Its one of a few trophies contested for since 1980 that the club has never won. Having seen his team lose 2-3 in the Mbada Diamonds Cup quarter-final to Monomotapa in Hwange last season, the Zambian expatriate is confident that Bosso will cruise past their opponents. “The truth is Highlanders need this trophy more than any other team and that is what is driving the team. It has been a while since the club won a major competition and playing second fiddle is not good at all. Anything can happen in football but I have confidence in the players that we will get a positive result and advance to the next stage of the competition. “FC Platinum have a good side, we respect them like all the teams and it will be a tricky game but we are ready for them. Like I said, that eagerness to put a smile on our supporters faces and win them a cup is what is driving the guys,” said Kaindu. He is aware that being a cup game there is no room for errors. “The approach for a cup game is different from that of a league game because you are not playing for a point or a draw, you need an outright win and we have to be mentally ready for the encounter. There is no room for errors,” said Kaindu. When Monomotapa knocked Bosso out of the Mbada Diamonds Cup last season, the Bulawayo giants had shoddy preparations after the players had gone on strike and only resumed training three days before the game. However, this time around things seem to be stable in the Highlanders camp and they just have to be prepared for a very competitive encounter against ambitious FC Platinum who also want to add silverware to their cabinet. Highlanders have to wake up from their slumber and hope to bounce back to winning ways having lost their last two league matches 1-0 to Chicken Inn and 2-1 away against Caps United. The Bulawayo giants will be hoping that some of their players like Masimba Mambare who has been out of form of late will rediscover that form that saw him becoming the 2012 Soccer Star of the Year first runner-up. Mambare has failed to produce that sparkling form that made him a darling of soccer fans. Midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa has also had quiet games while strikers Njabulo Ncube and Graham Ncube are going through a dry spell. Some of the players that are expected to lead Bosso against FC Platinum include ever-improving Dumisani ‘Fazo’ Ndlovu, leftback Bruce Kangwa who has been outstanding for Highlanders in the first half of the season, captain Innocent Mapuranga and Milton Ncube who scored against Caps United last weekend. The battle at Mucheke is likely to be won and lost in the midfield where Highlanders’ hopes will be pinned on Maphosa, Mambare, Peter “Rio” Moyo, Heritein Masuku and Simon Munawa. The attacking players available include Milton, Ozias Zibande, Cleopas Dube, Beavan Chikaka, Knox Mutizwa and Graham. On the other hand, FC Platinum’s midfield could be built around Thabani Kamusoko, Ali Sadiki, Joel Ngodzo, Welcome “Waruwa” Ndiweni and Charles Sibanda who can also play as a striker. Donald Ngoma and Nelson Maziwisa are expected to lead the platinum miners’ attack while Daniel Vheremu, the Moyo twins Kevin and Elvis, Qadr Amini will form the defence line. FC Platinum’s coach Tendai Chikuni said morale in his camp was high following their last weekend’s 1-0 victory against Black Rhinos. “After our home win against Black Rhinos everyone’s spirits are high and the guys are looking forward to the game. The players’ commitment at training has been awesome and it will be difficult to come up with the final 18 because they are putting in a lot of effort. Everyone wants to be in the team. “The game against Highlanders will be tricky in that it’s a cup game and we have to work on a game plan that suits a knockout tournament. Just like all the teams in this competition we are there to compete and we hope to get a desirable result,” said Chikuni. Fixtures Friday: Chicken Inn v Shabanie Mine (Mandava, 3pm) Saturday: Highlanders v FC Platinum (Mucheke, 12:30pm) Sunday: Monomotapa v Motor Action (Gibbo, 12:30pm), Dynamos v Buffaloes (Gibbo, 3pm)
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 05:53:01 +0000
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