Colossal! This is how best the inaugural 2011 Mbada Diamonds Cup final between Motor Action and Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow can be described. The match will be screened live on Supersport 9 at 3pm.
Since September, both teams have negotiated rough terrains from the first round up to the semi-finals when Zifa sought the intervention of South African match officials after hue and cry from clubs and football fans.
Dynamos won the league title last Sunday and hope to add the Mbada Diamonds Cup which will give them the ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup —which is what the Mighty Bulls are aiming at.
The tournament will see the winners pocketing $75 000, a floating trophy and $150 000 worth of accommodation and air tickets sponsorship subsidy to participate in the Confederation Cup.
Further, this subsidy shall be used to procure $25 000 worth of kit sponsorship bearing the Mbada Diamonds Holdings logo for use during the 2012 Caf Confederation Cup tournament. The runners-up will pocket $50 000.
The final cannot rival the traditional Dynamos-Highlanders, Dynamos-Caps United or Caps United-Highlanders matches, but there is so much excitement in the capital, mainly based on Calisto Pasuwa’s achievements since he took over from Lloyd Mutasa.
This is Pasuwa’s fourth match in a cup competition after having wrapped up the league title with a run of nine wins, one loss and a draw for the 13th title in independent Zimbabwe.
For the whole week, Dynamos veterans Murape Murape and Desmond Maringwa have been boldly declaring the double is theirs, they are the custodians of the game and they will have a field day tomorrow.
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On the other hand, the Mighty Bulls have been taking it easy, just promising to play their best game-and hopefully not the damp squib approach they put up in the league match — and walk away with their second piece of silverware.
So, tomorrow will be time to walk the talk in front of no less than 30 000 fans — predominantly Dynamos supporters — expected to throng the match venue. Last week, basically the same number was at Rufaro to watch Dynamos’ crowning moment.
Advance tickets for the rest of the ground cost $2, and the same terraces will be charged $3 on match day. Bays 17 and 18 have been allocated to VIPs and a seat there costs $20. Tickets are available at Betta Ball outlets at Ximex Mall, CABS Centre and Joina City. Fans can also get tickets at OK outlets.
A match between print and electronic journalists will set the ball rolling at 10am before a two—hour performance by the man who holds the rights to the Zorai Butter theme, Alick Macheso, the music maestro.
After that it will all boil down to 90 minutes, or an extra half hour in the event of a deadlock in regulation time or worse, the dreaded penalty lottery.
At the end of the day, it will be Zorai Butter or the Motor Action Brand Band in charge of proceedings.
Road to the final: First round: Dynamos beat Caps United 1-0, Motor Action beat Monomotapa 2-1 Quarter-finals: Dynamos beat Shooting Stars 3-0, Motor Action beat Blue Ribbon 1-0 Semi-finals: Dynamos beat FC Platinum 1-0, Motor Action beat Zimbabwe Saints 2-0
Referees: Centre: Daniel Bennett, first assistant Zakhele Siwela, second assistant Sandile Dilikane
