Zimbabwe: Highlanders Seek Second Trophy

Brian Nkiwane

27 June 2011

HIGHLANDERS begin a long journey to add another silverware in their trophy cabinet when they take on CAPS United in the BancABC Sup8r Cup quarterfinals at Baghdad this afternoon.

Bosso snatched the Independence Trophy after beating Dynamos 4-3 on penalties. It will be a dog eat dog encounter, as CAPS United will be looking for revenge after being booted out of the same tournament by the same club last year.

Highlanders’ goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda was the hero of the day as he saved two penalties giving Bosso the chance to meet DeMbare in the semi-finals. Bosso were later disqualified from the tournament.

But this time around, Sibanda will miss the tie as he is in South Africa with the Young Warriors who clashed with South African Under-23 side in the Zone VI All Africa Games qualifier yesterday.

Speaking to Standardsport on Friday, Highlanders supporters were confident that their team was going to sail past CAPS United as the Bulawayo giants have dominated the Green Machine in both league and cup matches.

Bosso have never won a match in Midlands for seven years now, but the players and their technical team have taken all this over their shoulders and are ready to break the jinx.

This means that without Sibanda rejuvenated, veteran goalkeeper Lovemore Makwavarara will be handed the number one jersey to make sure that Bosso sail through to the semi-finals.

Captain Gilbert Banda, Lawson Nkomo, Gift Lunga and Innocent Mapuranga have become regulars in the Highlanders defence line with Arnold Tshuma, Simon Munawa and Misheck Mburayi operating in the middle.

Upfront, Vincent Nzombe is set to trouble his former pay masters with assistance from Njabulo Ncube and Graham Ncube is set to have been fully recovered from an ankle injury. On the other hand, CAPS United fans feel that it’s high time they overturn Highlanders dominance and start winning against the Bulawayo giants.

With fans on head coach Moses Chunga’s toes, CAPS United have to regain their name tag “Cup Kings”.

A midfield battle is expected between former Highlanders kingpin Stephen Alimenda and Tshuma who usually stand head and shoulders in such occasions.

Edmore Sibanda is set to get the nod ahead of Muzondiwa Gonese with Gilbert Mapemba, Nyasha Mukumbi and Douglas Walaza making up the defence line for the Green Machine.

Again Makepekepe will miss the services of their gunslinger, Simba Sithole, who is on national duty with the Young Warriors in South Africa.

It is not yet clear whether the winners of the tournament are going to be the automatic country representatives in the Confederation Cup.

DeMbare lifted the 2010 edition with a 3-2 win over CAPS United.

AllAfrica – All the Time