The 2011 BancABC Sup8r Cup final pitting Highlanders and Motor Action will be played at Barbourfields Stadium on September 10 with organisers mulling staging the game in the evening.
The last major event to be hosted by Barbourfields Stadium was the 2009 Cosafa Senior Challenge while the last final at Bulawayo’s biggest football arena was the CBZ FA Cup final between Highlanders and Dynamos in 2007.
That final was graced by former Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari.
Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele yesterday confirmed the venue of the final and said they were engaging the Bulawayo City Council to spruce up the facility ahead of the final next month.
“We have the final at Barbourfields Stadium on the 10th of September and we are working the logistics of the match being played at night for the fun of it because it will be a big event. We will have fireworks.
“We want to engage the council to work on the turf so that it is in tip-top condition on the day. We will be expecting all the turnstiles to be fully operational and a full beam of the floodlights.
“We also expect the parking area to be cleared up. It will be a big event. We are in the process of engaging all stakeholders as we want it to be a big event,” Ndebele said.
Desmond Ali, BancABC’s Sup8r spokesperson, said they need to sell the big match and there would be roadshows before the big day.
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He said a lucky football fan would be driving away with brand new Ford Ranger if they opened an account with the financial institution during the tournament.
Highlanders, coached by Mkhuphali Masuku, stormed into the finals of the BancABC after beating Shabanie Mine 1-0 in the semi-final at Barbourfields Stadium two weeks back while Motor Action beat holders Dynamos 7-6 in a penalty shootout.
The quarter-finals of the Sup8r showcase were spread to various venues with Highlanders dismissing Caps United 1-0 at Baghdad Stadium on June 26 to cruise to the semi-final stage with a goal from captain Gilbert Banda.
Shabanie Mine edged Gunners with the same score-line at Ascot Stadium on 25 June with the solitary goal coming from Lennon Chisunga.
Dynamos beat Hwange 2-1 in the sugarcane town of Triangle at Gibbo Stadium on July 9 with goals from Tawanda Muparati and Rodrick Mutuma while the coalminers got their face saver from veteran Gilbert Zulu. Motor Action, under Joey Antipas, fired 2-1 past Monomotapa on July 10 at Sakubva Stadium through Masimba Mambare and Themba Ndlovu to enter the semi-final stage while Monos pulled one back with Makai Kawashu through a penalty.
Dynamos beat Caps United 3-2 in December last year to lift the BancABC Sup8r Cup. BancABC, who have been sponsoring the competition for the past four years, poured in $500 000 in total prize money for this year’s competition.
