admin
Highlanders beat Blue Rangers 2-1 at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday to book a quarter-final date with Monomotapa who were 3-2 winners over Hardbody.
Dynamos laboured to a 4-2 win over Quelaton after the lottery as both teams had slugged out a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
The result left Dynamos to face bogey side Gunners in the round of eight.
In the other pairings Shabanie, 1-0 winners over Hwange will clash with FC Platinum in the quarter-finals. The Zvishavane platinum miners beat Harare City 3-0.
Caps United who beat Motor Action will entertain Buffaloes, 2-1 winners over Black Mambas in the first round.
But the pick of the cup games will certainly be the Dynamos and Highlanders semi-final. It is a game written “final before the final” if they live up to the form book.
Dynamos have had a good late onslaught on the Castle Lager League title and are at the top of the standings with a two-point advantage. Bosso are unbeaten in all competitive matches this year, and are eager to give it a fight up to the end for both the league and cup.
On Sunday evening Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu, whose side is definitely feeling the heat, with Dynamos now in cruise mode in the league race, said complacency and weaknesses in mental strength are now his biggest challenges.
“We have gone this far unbeaten. We have not played that well in our recent matches. Perhaps it is complacency so we need to change and take all the matches seriously. The race is not yet won or lost we need to keep on fighting and taking each game as we go,” said the respected Zambian gaffer who was a hit as a player at the club in 1997.
Kaindu said the race was now a test of mental strength.
“This is the time for the boys to show their mental strength. As coaches we will work on that with the boys and try to get the best out of them,” said Kaindu.
He acknowledged that his preferred strike force that has Graham Ncube starting and Bevan Chikaka often coming as a substitute was not delivering. He said he would continue to work on Ncube to ensure he is confident.
Ncube has had more starts than any other striker at Highlanders but his conversion rate is getting worse by the day.
On his other option for attack, Cleopas Dube, a hit with Kujatana and ZPC Hwange in the last three years, Kaindu said they would not be rushing the big striker.
“He is coming up well, we will not rush him in case we destroy him. We want it to be gradual. He is showing a lot of promise,” said Kaindu.
It is fact that the Bosso attack has not been as sharp with strikers dwarfed by bigger defenders. Dube rates among the tallest players at the club and has not lasted a minute on the field.
He is a player who has played at a higher and more competitive level than the boys promoted from the juniors and deserves his chance. The bench or terraces will not make him any better.
The Mbada Diamonds Cup offers winners $100 000 and another $150 000 for the champions to take part in the Caf Confederation Cup.
The star of the weekend show was definitely Ronald Chitiyo who scored the tournament’s first hat-trick in his club’s 3-2 win over Hardbody.
The on-fire striker netted what could probably rank as one of the fastest goals in the tournament, finding the back of the net in less than 35 seconds of the first whistle.
With the relegation and championship races now the centre of attraction, the Mbada Cup offers something for the cabinet for those already out of the race.
FC Platinum, holders of the Independence Cup and NetOne Charity Shield, rank among the favourites for the tournament. However a steep mountain to climb lies in neighbours Shabanie who are under shrewd schemer Luke Masomere.
FC Platinum’s quarter-final tie against Shabanie will not be a stroll in the park nor will any of the other three matches as all teams laboured to reach this stage.
The quarter-final pairings
Caps United v Buffaloes, Dynamos v Gunners, FC Platinum v Shabanie Mine, Highlanders v Monomotapa.
Semi-finals
Caps United/Buffaloes v FC Platinum/Shabanie Mine, Highlanders/Monomotapa v Dynamos/Gunners.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter