HIGHLANDERS and Dynamos legends have predicted a tough encounter when Zimbabwe’s biggest clubs face off in a Castle Lager Premiership football match at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday. REPORT BY SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER
DeMbare are eager to win and open a five-point lead in a bid to defend the title, while Bosso also look forward to upsetting the Harare giants and gun for the championship they last won in 2006 under the tutelage of Methembe “Mayor” Ndlovu.
The Glamour Boys have amassed 58 points from 25 matches with Highlanders trailing by two points from the same number of games.
Highlanders are definitely itching for victory after the 3-2 Mbada Diamonds Cup exit at the hands of Monomotapa at the Colliery last Sunday, while Dynamos cruised to the semi-final after dismissing Gunners 3-0 at Baghdad Stadium.
Former Bosso defender Netsai Moyo said Sunday’s tie will definitely be a title decider.
“It is going to be a very tough match as both teams want to win. Both sides are in the race for the championship and that game is going to be the title decider. I do not see the team that will win the match losing the championship,” he said.
Former Highlanders striker Tobias Mudyambanje said: “It is going to be a very tricky game because Dynamos seem to have an upper hand as Highlanders have been facing problems in camp. The defeat to Monomotapa adds to that. However, Highlanders should remain focused. If we put our heads together we might walk away with a draw or even three points. If we win, then the championship will be within reach,” he said.
Mudyambanje also said a loss on Sunday was tantamount to surrendering the title to Dynamos.
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Another Bosso son and former club manager Douglas “British” Mloyi had this to say: “Highlanders have been affected by the strike when they lost about two weeks of training. They are lacking fitness. They lost to Monomotapa on Sunday and have to work extra hard because the match is going to be difficult. If we win this match and then take the other games seriously, we can win the championship,” he said.
Ex-Dynamos player David George said he was expecting good football come Sunday.
“It is going to be a very good game because the two teams are at the top of the log. I cannot say which team is going to win, but it will be an exciting game because both teams are racing for the championship,” he said.
Freddy Mukwesha, former DeMbare legendary striker, said he could not predict the winner, but said he was anticipating an exciting game as well.
“It will be good for former players to feature before the Highlanders and Dynamos match so that the youngsters learn that the match is there to entertain and it is not war. As a former coach, I know both teams want to win the match. No team wants to lose this one and so the better team of the day will win,” Mukwesha quipped.
With sponsors of the two clubs, financial institution BancABC, having dangled $15 000 pay day for the winners of the titanic Premiership battle, the match promises to be a humdinger match after the two sides played a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at Barbourfields Stadium in July.
Each goal scored in the first five minutes attracts $5 000 with $3 000 for every goal scored in the match going to the scoring team, while the man-of the-match will pick up a cool $1 500.
Fans will have to fork out $5 for the rest of the ground, $10 for the western stands and $20 for the VIP as Dynamos expects to make big returns from for the match
