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Ricky Zililo-Bulawayo Bureau
DISAPPOINTED by the postponement of their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match against Dynamos to pave way for the Independence Cup, Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito feels that the rescheduling favours their rivals.
The epic league game between the two giants of Zimbabwean football that had been scheduled for tomorrow at Barbourfields Stadium was called off on Wednesday to pave way for the Uhuru celebrations.
Bosso, the defending Independence Cup champions, having won it 1-0 last year at Barbourfields Stadium through a Stanley Ngala goal against DeMbare, face their old foes at Mount Darwin High School on Tuesday, April 18.
It is the three-day short notice of cancellation of the game that irked the Highlanders gaffer who said their plans were thrown into disarray by the decision. On Wednesday, the Premier Soccer League announced that the encounter will no longer take place tomorrow after the Sports and Recreation Commission directed that Highlanders and Dynamos have to be in Mount Darwin on Sunday for the start of the Independence Day festivities.
“They cancelled the game, we can’t run away from this subject. Our feeling is that the decision is only to protect Dynamos because they’re coming from two draws (identical 0-0 against Simba Bhora and Cranborne Bullets). They’ve some players who are not in good form and some are injured. They (Dynamos) should’ve travelled to Bulawayo for the game but their week of preparation wasn’t the best because they played on Monday.
“They (Dynamos) are in a bad moment. So, Dynamos were a little bit afraid under the circumstances.
“We respect the decision (to cancel the league game), but they’re staying in Harare, we need to travel. Our week of preparation was affected because we were preparing to play on Saturday and three days before the game that’s cancelled,” said Brito.
Highlanders leave Bulawayo for Harare en-route to Mount Darwin on Sunday.
After the Independence Cup final, Highlanders are scheduled to face Yadah in Harare and Brito prays that they relocate their camp to the capital.
“We don’t know when we will play Yadah, Friday or Saturday. We don’t know if we’ll stay there (in Harare) or not. For us to come back and go back it’s not fair, if they protect one team they’ve to protect the other one,” said Brito.
The Bosso coach whose side is tied on eight points with DeMbare after four games said his charges were also disappointed with the cancellation of their game whose build-up had gathered momentum. Despite the league setback, Brito said Highlanders will send a full strength squad for the Independence Cup match against archrivals Dynamos.
“It’s a game that we’re facing the main rivals in the country. So we go to the cup as we did in the last games with a competitive team, we’ll make some changes but it will be a competitive team and we’ll field a starting XI that can give us a good result for that game.
“We had some feedback about the field. At the moment we can focus on the positive sides about the game. It’s a game that there are two rivals, with one common sponsor (Sakunda Holdings) who is doing everything for the two sides. The two teams have a strong history in Zimbabwe and we’ve to go there with a positive mind and bring positive vibes to the game,” said Brito.
Online Reporter