Vusumuzi Dube
Fungai Muderere
A Chibuku Super Cup preliminary double header is set for Mhondoro’s Baobab Stadium this afternoon where Cranborne Bullets FC, Yadah Stars, Sheasham and Black Rhinos are set to fight for two tickets that will take them to the competition’s last 16.
In the first installment of the day that will kick off at 12pm, Cranborne Bullets will take aim at sporadic Yadah Stars who are smarting from two consecutive league defeats at the hands of Dynamos and newboys Green Fuel.
In 2021, Cranborne Bullets, who have veteran Nesbert ‘Yabo’ Saruchera as their coach, reached the semi-final stage of the cup contest but last year fell in the first hurdle when they lost to former Premier Soccer League side Whawha.
A team that will prevail between Cranborne Bullets and Yadah Stars will proceed to face FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium on Saturday in a first-round tie of the cup contest.
Pure Platinum Play won the Chibuku Super Cup in 2014 and 2021 after getting the better of ex-Premier Soccer League outfit Harare City and Ngezi Platinum Stars in 2014 and 2021 respectively.
Bullets’ fellow army side Black Rhinos will need to up their game when they do battle against fast improving Lizwe Sweswe’s Sheasham who are on top of their game.
The Construction Boys have gone on a four-game unbeaten league streak, winning two and drawing the same number.
In their last two games, Sheasham accounted for four-time league champions FC Platinum (1-2) before they went on to edge 2015 PSL winners Chicken Inn 1-0.
Red hot Liberty Masveure was the scorer for Sheasham in both encounters.
“We will obviously want to win this cup match. We are aiming at doing better. The positive results that we have posted give us so much confidence ahead of our match against Black Rhinos. We need to have the boys believing in themselves. I have told the boys about my philosophy and we have trained around that with the hope to continue doing well,” said Sweswe, who took over from John Nyikadzino after parting ways with Bulawayo Chiefs.
In the last edition of the Chibuku Super Cup, Black Rhinos stormed into the semi-finals after getting the better of the Simbisa Brands sponsored Chicken Inn in a penalty lottery that ended 9-8 into their favour.
The match, which was played at Rusape’s Vengere Stadium, had ended one all in regulation time.
Rhinos who anchor the log standings with 12 points, eight behind 15th placed Sheasham, will be hoping to rediscover their last season’s fine form in the cup competition.
Winners between Sheasham and Chauya Chipembere will proceed to meet Jairos Tapera’s high riding Manica Diamonds at Gibbo Stadium on Saturday.
The four teams were drawn for the preliminary based on log standings two weeks ago where the bottom four were identified and paired to play against each other to join the other 14. With the winners proceeding that takes the number of teams to 16 allowing for a draw that will see teams eliminate each other until the final.
Chibuku Super Cup preliminary round fixtures
Yadah v Cranborne Bullets (Baobab 12 pm), Sheasham v Black Rhinos (Baobab 3pm)-@FungaiMuderere
Online Reporter