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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO football fans are in for Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Match Day 5 double treat weekend, with two high profile matches lined up.
Opening the weekend programme in the City of Kings and Queens is arguably the country’s biggest game when Highlanders collide with Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday, a tie that will be followed by a derby featuring Bulawayo Chiefs and Chicken Inn on Sunday.
The Bosso-DeMbare encounter has been moved to Saturday as both sides will face off again three days later in the Independence Cup final at Mount Darwin High School.
While focus is on the big game in the city, the Bulawayo Chiefs and Chicken Inn encounter also promises to be an entertaining game, with both sides in search of maximum points to climb up the ladder.
Amakhosi Amahle are third from bottom with two draws and same number of defeats.
Chiefs are still searching for their first win of the season heading into their fifth match of the season.
The Twitter Kings head into the derby smarting from a slender 2-1 defeat to champions FC Platinum.
Last Friday, Chiefs surrendered a 1-0 lead to allow the champions to bounce back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory.
Obriel Chirinda had given Bulawayo Chiefs an early lead before Pure Platinum Play struck back through Walter Musona and Innocent Mucheneka.
In a statement, Chiefs said their medical team is looking into injuries of key players, skipper Malvin Mkolo and Danny Phiri which they picked during the game against FC Platinum.
“The availability of Mkolo and Deco (Phiri) will depend on the advice of the doctors. We should know their conditions by Wednesday,” said Bulawayo Chiefs.
While Chiefs, who have two points picked in Ngezi Platinum Stars’ 1-1 and Black Rhinos’ 0-0 draws, fret over Phiri and Mkolo, Chicken Inn who came out of the Good Friday 0-0 derby draw with Highlanders have no fresh injury worries.
The Gamecocks, one of the three teams alongside Caps United and Dynamos yet to concede are on position seven with six points from four games. They are four points behind leaders Caps United.
Chicken Inn gaffer Prince Matore wants his charges to be ruthless, especially playing in Bulawayo.
“We’ve been losing points and playing in Bulawayo we should be winning our games. We’ll work on our shortcomings before our next game,” said Matore.
Meanwhile, another pick of the weekend tie is the Caps United and FC Platinum encounter set for Sunday at the National Sports stadium.
Caps United are at the top of the standings with 10 points from four games, having posted three wins and a draw against Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Match Day 5 Fixtures
Friday, April 14: Cranborne Bullets v Yadah (National Sports Stadium, 12pm), Simba Bhora v Hwange (National Sports Stadium, 3pm)
Saturday, April 15: Highlanders v Dynamos (Barbourfields Stadium), Sheasham v Greenfuel (Mandava), Herentals v ZPCC Kariba (National Sports Stadium), Manica Diamonds v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Gibbo)
Sunday, April 14: Caps United v FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium), Triangle United v Black Rhinos (Gibbo), Bulawayo Chiefs v Chicken Inn (Luveve).
— @ZililoR
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter