SIX of the eight teams still competing in the Chibuku Super Cup have performed below expectations this season and would be looking at this competition as a chance to redeem themselves.
BY HENRY MHARA/ FORTUNE MBELE/MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE
Besides FC Platinum, the front runners in the league title race, and Highlanders, who are third in the log standings and still have a chance of winning the league title, going into the final five rounds, the other remaining teams in Harare City, ZPC Kariba, How Mine, Triangle, Ngezi Platinum and Tsholotsho, have under-achieved so far.
The quarter-finals of the $500 000 competition are on this weekend with FC Platinum travelling to Gibbo Stadium to face Triangle tomorrow, chasing a league and cup double, while Highlanders are also in action tomorrow in the Bulawayo derby against How Mine at Barbourfields Stadium.
Ngezi Platinum, who were expected to fare well this season considering the resources that the management has invested into the project, have been huffing and puffing, and host Tsholotsho at Baobab Stadium this afternoon, a side which has dismally failed to match their impressive showing of last year.
The pick of the round though is at Nyamhunga Stadium this afternoon where Sunday Chidzambwa’s (pictured) ZPC Kariba host Moses Chunga’s Harare City who are the tournament’s defending champions.
These are two teams who were expected to challenge for league honours this season, but have found themselves in the middle of the table, with no hope of catching up with the pacesetters.
It is against that backdrop that the two former Dynamos coaches would be aware of how cup glory can transform what has been a mediocre season into a successful one and only fireworks can come from this clash.
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Harare City would be favourites to, at least, progress to the next round, playing a side they have faced three times this season and emerging victorious in all the matches, including in the ZNA Charities tournament.
Thus, Chunga would be looking for a quadruple over Chidzambwa this year.
However, Chidzambwa has vowed to turn the tables against his more junior opponent and says his players are willing to break a leg to get the elusive win.
“We have played Harare City three times this year and they have beaten us in all the games. We cannot let that to continue,” said Chidzambwa.
“We will fight tooth and nail to sail through to the semi-finals. We have to score goals and make sure we prevail. We are playing at home and that should be an advantage to us,” added the veteran gaffer, who revealed that Godknows Mangani will miss the clash due to injury.
But besides their record against City this season, more worrying for Chidzambwa is his team’s form going into the clash, where they have registered four successive draws.
FC Platinum are slight favourites to win the domestic title as they hold a one-point advantage in the title race and would look to win this competition for a probable league and cup double this season. But Triangle, who lost both their league encounters against the Norman Mapeza-coached side this year, stand in the way.
“Cup competitions are different from league games and league results don’t matter much here,” said Triangle coach David Mandigora. “We are taking the tournament seriously. It is our only hope of winning silverware this season and we have made that clear to our players.
They know what is expected of them as we were drawn against the best team in the league. We have to be at our best if we are to get to the next stage of the tournament,” the former Dynamos coach added.
Highlanders are four points off FC Platinum in the league title race, and while they still have a chance to snatch it, their realistic chance of winning a major trophy this season lies in the Chibuku Super Cup.
They have How Mine to deal with though — a side that has already produced a huge upset in the tournament when defeating giants Dynamos in the first round.
How Mine coach Kelvin Kaindu believes that win over the Harare giants would spur them on in this tournament and there is no doubt he will be looking for a similar performance tomorrow.
“We are out of the league championship and the Chibuku Super Cup is the only silverware left and at the end it has a number of benefits especially in terms of remuneration,” reckons Kaindu.
Winners of the tournament get $75 000 and a ticket to represent the country in the Caf Confederation Cup next season.
Chibuku Super Cup semi-final fixtures
Today: ZPC Kariba v Harare City (Nyamhunga Stadium), Ngezi Platinum v Tsholotsho (Baobab Stadium).
Tomorrow: Triangle v FC Platinum (Gibbo), Highlanders v How Mine (Barbourfields Stadium)
