MOTOR Action coach Joey Antipas — the last coach to win the BancABC Sup8r Cup — is tipping defending league champions Dynamos to lift the trophy this time around. REPORT BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The Harare giants clash with Shabanie Mine on Sunday at 2pm, 24 hours after FC Platinum’s clash with Monomotapa in the first semi-final at Barbourfields Stadium.
Antipas was in charge of the Mighty Bulls when they defied odds to beat their illustrious opponents, Highlanders, to lift the cup at Barbourfields Stadium in 2011.
Midfielder Allen Gahadzikwa, now at FC Platinum, decided the contest with the only goal of the match.
Motor Action no longer have interests in the tournament after they were booted out by Monomotapa in the quarter-final stage.
Dynamos defeated army side Buffaloes to reach the semi-finals, while Shabanie Mine cruised past Chicken Inn. FC Platinum booted out Highlanders.
The PSL has arranged a double header of the semi-finals of the tournament with the game pitting FC Platinum against Monomotapa preceding the show down between defending league champions Dynamos and Shabanie Mine.
Antipas, who also won the league title with the Mighty Bulls in 2010, has predicted a tough competition this time around, but believes Dynamos have what it takes to lift the prestigious cup.
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“It’s going to be a very tough competition. Shabanie Mine are playing well and it will not be easy. Cup games are very tricky, you need to be on top of your game, but Dynamos are the favourites to lift this cup. They always rise to the occasion in such situations,” said Antipas whose team is fighting relegation in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
Dynamos go into the match on the back of a hard-fought victory over Motor Action in a league match two weeks ago.
The BancABC Cup, which makes a return on the football calendar after a year’s absence, will see winners pocketing a whopping $120 000 — the biggest pay cheque in Zimbabwean football at the moment. Runners up will get $50 000, the losing semi-finalists $20 000 each, while the losing quarter-finalists get $12 000.
In 2011, Motor Action pocketed $50 000 for emerging winners.
