Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FOOTBALL enthusiasts coming for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo should brace for a football fiesta as two derbies will be played on Saturday and Sunday.
Bulawayo City and Bulawayo Chiefs face off on Saturday, with the big clash being Highlanders and Chicken Inn on Sunday.
Derbies bring the best out of the players, who besides battling for maximum points, will be fighting for bragging rights.
The players interact on daily basis and none of them want to be mocked after losing hence they tend to give fans the best entertainment.
Never mind positions the teams occupy, as they always give their all during derbies.
Bulawayo City vs Bulawayo Chiefs
The two sides are meeting for the third time in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League. Their first meeting was in 2018, the year City were relegated from the topflight, and they drew 1-1 in the first-leg before Chiefs clobbered the municipal side 4-1.
City are at the bottom of the PSL table with six points from 12 games and have gone on a seven-match winless run.
City last registered a win on March 19 when they shocked Highlanders 1-0.
Since then, they have managed two draws and five defeats. Four out of five losses for City came in their last matches against Triangle United (3-1), Cranborne Bullets (2-1), FC Platinum (0-2) and Chicken Inn (1-0).
On the other end, Chiefs head into the clash bubbling with confidence following a 1-0 win against Whawha, a result that ended their eight-match winless streak which included four draws and four wins.
Chiefs are 11th on the table with 14 points.
Players to watch
City are driven by a number of unheralded youngsters, with goalkeeper Reward Muza, who is on-loan from Highlanders, likely to start.
He had a good game against Chicken Inn, making numerous saves to keep the score line respectable at 1-0.
Mpumelelo Bhebhe, utility player Melikhaya Ncube, winger Elshama Farasi and forward Nqobile Ncube are the players to watch for City.
Chiefs have experienced players in the form of goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya, the former national team trio of defender Elvis Moyo, defensive midfielder Kelvin Madzongwe and striker perfect Chikwende.
They welcome back skipper Marlvin Mkolo, who missed their 1-0 win over Whawha through suspension. Central midfielder Lucky Ndlela, 22-year-old attacking midfielder Mthokozisi Msebe and striker Billy Veremu are also among players Chiefs can count on.
Highlanders vs Chicken Inn
This is a big game by any standard and the two sides are facing off for the 19th time.
Chicken Inn have dominated Bosso, winning eight times, while Highlanders have only registered three victories and drawn seven times.
The last time the two sides met in a league match on October 2, 2019, Highlanders won 2-0.
What makes Sunday’s match even more appealing is that Chicken Inn are second on the PSL table, tied on 26 points with leaders Dynamos, and they are aware that any slip up could see DeMbare opening a lead.
On the other hand, Highlanders are hard-pressed for a win as they are three points above the relegation zone in 10th place with 14 points.
While Chicken Inn head into the encounter after bouncing back from a shock 3-0 defeat to Whawha with a narrow 1-0 win against City, Highlanders’ match against FC Platinum was abandoned in the 84th minute with the score line reading 1-1 following crowd trouble.
Players to watch
Both sides boast of a number of experienced players and Highlanders’ hopes will be pinned on goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, defenders Peter Muduhwa and Andrew Mbeba as well as central midfielder Nqobizitha Masuku.
Chicken Inn will bank on their experienced goalkeeper Donovan Benard, defenders Xolani Ndlovu, Nielson Ketala and Moses Jackson, the midfield trio of Sheppard Mhlanga, Clarkson Dzimbiri and Brett Amidu as well as forwards Brian Muza and Marlvin Hwata.
PSL Matchday 13 Fixtures
Friday: Yadah vs Triangle United (National Sports Stadium)
Saturday: Herentals vs FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium), Black Rhinos vs Tenax (Sakubva), Bulawayo City vs Bulawayo Chiefs (Barbourfields), Ngezi Platinum Stars vs Harare City (Baobab), Whawha vs Dynamos (Ascot)
Sunday: Highlanders vs Chicken Inn (Barbourfields), Manica Diamonds vs ZPC Kariba (Sakubva), Caps United vs Cranborne Bullets (National Sports Stadium)
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Dynamos 12 8 2 2 14 4 10 26
Chicken Inn 12 8 2 2 18 10 8 26
Triangle United 12 7 2 3 16 9 7 23
Manica Diamonds 12 5 5 2 21 12 9 20
Ngezi Platinum 12 5 5 2 15 6 9 20
*FC Platinum 11 5 4 2 13 6 7 19
Caps United 12 4 5 3 17 14 3 17
Black Rhinos 12 4 5 3 14 11 3 17
Herentals 12 5 2 5 14 16 -2 17
*Highlanders 11 3 5 3 12 7 5 14
Bulawayo Chiefs 12 3 5 4 8 9 -1 14
Cranborne 12 3 4 5 12 17 -5 13
Tenax 12 3 4 5 11 21 -10 13
Harare City 12 2 6 4 8 10 -2 12
Yadah 12 2 5 5 8 12 -4 11
ZPC Kariba 12 2 4 6 7 13 -6 10
Whawha 12 2 2 8 12 29 -17 8
Bulawayo City 12 1 3 8 8 22 -14 6
*Game abandoned
– @ZililoR
Online Reporter