Bosso, CAPS renew rivalry

Fungai Muderere, Zimpapers Sports Hub

IT’S only Week Six of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, but the stakes are already sky-high.

On Sunday, the country’s two most passionately supported football institutions, Highlanders and CAPS United reignite their fierce rivalry in the first instalment of the Battle of the Cities at Barbourfields Stadium.

Although the season is still in its infancy, there is no downplaying the importance of this fixture. Both teams have endured frustrating starts and a victory in this high-stakes showdown could be the spark that reignites their faltering campaigns.

For Highlanders, it has been a stuttering start under the guidance of Kelvin Kaindu. From five outings, Bosso have managed just six points, courtesy of one win, three draws and a single loss, a run that leaves them sitting in ninth place.

Last weekend, they were held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Triangle United, a side that had not registered a point this season.

The dropped points have raised alarm bells within the Bosso faithful, who expected the team to build on the momentum from last year.

Makepekepe have fared even worse. The Green Machine have collected a paltry four points from a possible 15, with their only win coming early in the campaign.

Their last outing ended in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Ngezi Platinum Stars at Baobab Stadium, a result that sent CAPS supporters over the edge. Furious fans barricaded the stadium’s main exit, temporarily trapping the team bus and head coach Lloyd Chitembwe’s car, in protest over the team’s underwhelming form.

For Chitembwe, a coach who knows better than most the weight of the CAPS badge, the pressure is mounting.

“It’s a natural reaction,” he admitted after the match. “I’ve been here long enough to understand what this football club is all about. Results are what matter at the end of the day. If they don’t come, the people will demand them.”

 

This clash could be a defining moment for both clubs. Last season, Highlanders triumphed 2-0 in the reverse fixture at Emagumeni, only for CAPS United to exact revenge with a thrilling 3-2 win in the return leg. These games are never short on drama and Sunday’s encounter is expected to be no different.

While the quality of football from both sides has yet to reach the heights of previous seasons, the rivalry itself injects an intensity that often lifts performances. This is more than just a football match, it is a battle for pride, bragging rights and a chance to rewrite the early narrative of the season.

For Highlanders, it’s a chance to reaffirm Barbourfields as a fortress and assert dominance over a wounded rival. For CAPS, it’s about redemption, regaining belief and proving that they are more than the sum of recent results.

With thousands expected to pack into Emagumeni, the atmosphere will be electric. The players, coaches and fans know that no one wants to come out of this clash second best, not in a game where history, emotion and reputation collide so fiercely.

Other Week Six Fixtures:

Saturday:
• TelOne v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Ascot Stadium)
• Bikita Minerals v Triangle United (Gibbo Stadium)
• Yadah Stars v Scottland FC (Rufaro Stadium)
• FC Platinum v Greenfuel (Mandava Stadium)
• ZPC Kariba v Kwekwe United (Nyamhunga Stadium)
• Simba Bhora v Manica Diamonds (Wadzanayi Stadium)

Sunday:
• Highlanders v CAPS United (Barbourfields Stadium)
• Herentals College v MWOS (Wadzanayi Stadium)
• Dynamos v Chicken Inn (Rufaro Stadium)