SPARKS are certain to fly as the Chibuku Super Cup roars into life in just under a fortnight, with Harare giants Caps United and Dynamos being paired against what appear to be tricky opponents in the draw conducted in the capital yesterday.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The top eight teams as at match-day 15 of the current Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season were the seeded sides. They will play at home. These are log leaders FC Platinum, Caps United, Highlanders, Dynamos, ZPC Kariba, Triangle, Ngezi, Platinum Stars and Chibuku Super Cup defending champions Harare City.
The first round of the tournament kicks off on the weekend of September 16 to 18.
Caps United, who trail leaders FC Platinum by one point at the top of the league table, face relegation-threatened Tsholotsho, while their bitter city rivals, Dynamos were paired against How Mine with Highlanders taking on Mutare City Rovers. FC Platinum will face Chapungu in a potentially explosive Midlands derby.
Harare City will begin their campaign with a match against bottom side Border Strikers.
Caps United completed a double over Tsholotsho in the league, but assistant coach Fungai Tostao Kwashi still has great respect for the Lizwe Sweswe-coached side, describing them as a compact side, which is difficult to break down.
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“It’s a tough draw. Tsholotsho are a well-organised team coached by a very intelligent coach, Lizwe Sweswe. They are a compact side, very disciplined, and difficult to break down. So we expect a tough game. It will not be easy, especially in a cup game. In a cup game, it is about the team that comes to the party on the given day. League form does not count. The team with the right mindset, the team that runs the most, it’s the hungrier team that will win. So we respect Tsholotsho and all the 16 teams, we expect a tough battle, but we will give it our best for the fans, for the board and president Farai Jere,” he said.
Dynamos team manager, Richard Chihoro welcomed the draw, but predicted a tough encounter against How Mine.
“You know, with cup games, it is very tricky. It’s a fair draw, but it’s always difficult when it comes to cup games, but obviously we are targeting going as far as the final and even win the cup. Last time we were beaten in the final 2-1 by Harare City and we still have sad memories of that. We are determined to make up for the loss,” he said.
FC Platinum spokesperson, Chido Chizondo said they were looking forward to their clash against Chapungu.
“It’s a very interesting pairing. For us it’s a Midlands derby and with the nature of a derby, it’s very intense. We played Chapungu in the first half of the season and it was a very emotional game and it will be interesting to play them in the Chibuku Cup. Any cup, especially the Chibuku Super Cup, for us it’s about the African safari, getting our players exposed. It’s a very important cup to us,” she said.
City coach, Moses Chunga predicted a tough match against Border Strikers, who would want to make an impression in this cup competition to make up for the disappointment in the league so far. He said a team fighting relegation was dangerous and they would need to work hard to advance to the next round.
Winners of the competition will get $75 000 and will represent the country in the Caf Confederations Cup next year.
Full draw: FC Platinum v Chapungu, Highlanders v Mutare City Rovers, Caps United v Tsholotsho, Dynamos v How Mine, ZPC Kariba v Bulawayo City, Triangle v Chicken Inn, Ngezi Platinum v Hwange, Harare City v Border Strikers
