Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube and Tadious Manyepo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
CAPS United coach Takesure Chiragwi is excited with the prospect of facing Highlanders in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-final after the two giants were drawn to face each other yesterday.
While the Caps United gaffer has a reason to smile, Highlanders coach Benjani Mwaruwari described the pairing as a difficult one.
His argument is drawn from the fact that his charges lost home and away in the Castle Lager matches pitting the two teams this season.
The draw was held immediately after a quarter-final clash between Scottland and Hardrock which the latter claimed on a 1-0 scoreline at Rufaro Stadium.
“Caps United are a tricky team, remember they beat us home and away in the Castle Lager Premiership. It is a difficult draw but however to win this tournament you have to beat a team like Caps United to lay a claim to the title. If we beat them it will be a final worth it,” said Mwaruwari refusing to comment much on Hunters and and Hardrock’s threat.
“To get where they are, they deserve it, they have worked hard,” added Mwaruwari.
A good run in this tournament may atone for an early exit in the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup and also a poor run in the league.
Hardrock will host fellow top-flight newcomers FC Hunters in the other semi-final which will be staged on the weekend of October 31-November 1.
While there will be a lot of plots and subplots in the Hardrock/FC Hunters match, it is certainly Makepekepe and Bosso match that drew instant attention during the draw.
The Green Machine completed a rare league double over Highlanders this season and they have a good opportunity to not only show it wasn’t a fluke but to reach the Chibuku Super Cup final for the first time since its return 12 years ago.
Chiragwi said he could not have selected who to face in the last four because all the other three teams that were in the pot deserved it.
“You know it’s hard to say maybe we would have wanted to face this team or that team at this stage of the competition,” said Chiragwi.
He said it was never easy to face any team that has made the semis. Chiragwi said being drawn against Highlanders was the reality his team was facing.
“So we take the draw. We take the match up and we are ready for it.
“I think what matters isn’t who we are facing but how we will prepare for the match.
Chiragwi said Highlanders was a big team, a giant like Caps United.
“They have won the Chibuku Super Cup before and as such they know how to play in these tournaments.
“But we also know how to carry ourselves and that is the reason why we have come all the way to the semis.
Chiragwi said what matters is their preparations for the match.
“ I think we are excited about the draw and let’s see what happens when get to the bridge, when it’s time to cross it.”
Chiragwi acknowledged the fixture could be tricky after Bosso beat the very team in which he was part of the backroom coaching staff in the 2019 final.
“Like what I said, Highlanders is a big team. They are one of the best teams in terms of play even this season.
“They can never be predicted because of the respect that they carry,” added Chiragwi.
“You find that they can also say the same about us and that makes this semifinal encounter very enticing.
Chiragwi said it was good for football, for the sponsors, for the fans and all the other stakeholders.
“But at the end of the day what we want to achieve is clear.
“We want to win. We have failed to deliver the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title to the team. We surely have to pick out something this season.
“We are not looking at who we are playing, we will be looking at what we can do to as a team to secure our passage to the final.
“That’s all and that’s what is important.”
