Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube [email protected]
THE Chibuku Cup from its days as the Chibuku Trophy way back in the 1970s has always favoured a new coach at Highlanders.
It has also smiled on coaches taking charge for the first time at a higher level of competition.
Highlanders coach Benjani Mwaruwari is on the threshold of making history for himself if the past is anything to go by.
Mwaruwari took over at Highlanders at the beginning of the year and with the Castle Lager
Premiership and Munhumutapa Challenge Cup out, the Chibuku Challenge Cup represents a realistic chance of him ending the season with silverware.
Last Sunday he presided over a Highlanders side that booted out MWOS at the quarter-final stage of the Chibuku Super Cup. That win through a penalty shootout thrust Bosso into the semi-finals of the tournament.
Highlanders will now face CAPS United in the semi-final of the competition and the team’s multitude of fans has all the reasons to keep fingers crossed of a season that may end with a piece of silverware, the first in seven years.
Coincidentally, Bosso’s last dance at the podium was in 2019 in the same tournament when a Pieter de Jongh coached side drew inspiration from a Prince Dube wonder strike from range to edge Ngezi Platinum for a 1-0 final win at Barbourfields Stadium.
Should Bosso successfully negotiate their way past CAPS United, they will face the winner of the other semi-final between Hunters and Hardrock.
“The boys are in a positive frame of mind. These boys can pull any result now, we have worked on them and they are at a stage where they realise that a good finish will do their careers good going forward. They want to win it for themselves and the badge. They are enjoying their football with the resolve to do their talking on the field after a difficulty year. As for the Chibuku Super Cup, we want to win naturally,” said Mwaruwari on Thursday.
History appears to favour him.
In 1973, Highlanders had just been promoted to the South Region Division One and were under coach Silas Ndlovu. Changes had just been rung at the club with a new executive structure with a board, a constitution and expectations of an annual general meeting and audited accounts.
Ndlovu, was not just a coach but a coach/manager with sweeping powers on the recruitment of players and management of their welfare, in what was described as British type of club football management.
That year, Highlanders who were only in their second year in professional football since its launch in 1963, won the Chibuku Trophy, announcing the arrival of a giant on the big stage.
Prior to that July afternoon of 1973, clubs like Eastlands, Rangers and Mashonaland United had failed to win silverware at national level.
But Ndlovu and his gallant sons of the game some unheralded, had torn the form book apart and given punters who had placed their bets on the minnows from Bulawayo, big earnings.
Highlanders all of a sudden were now being spoken about at the same breath as Mangula, Dynamos, Salisbury Callies, Cam and Motor (Rio Tinto), Arcadia, Metal Box and Wankie, clubs that had won silverware like the league and Castle Cup.
Ndlovu and his men lost the 1974 and 1976 cup finals.
Enter independent Zimbabwe, and boom, the club’s first coach in a celebrating young nation, James Nxumalo won the Chibuku Trophy in 1980.
Fielding players promoted from the junior development, others acquired from lower division clubs like Old Miltonians and Contex, some remnants of the early 1977 split that gave birth to Olympics, Highlanders carrying the same underdog tag of 1973, and again not bookmakers’ choice, beat star-studded Rio Tinto 4-0 at Rufaro Stadium for their second Chibuku Trophy in four cup finals.
This was a Rio Tinto with the likes of David Chisambi, Wonder Phiri, Joshua Phiri, Raphael Phiri, Victor Mapanda and Robert Godoka. They were firm favourites to win the trophy while Highlanders appeared to have rode on luck with just Tymon Mabaleka, Douglas Mloyi, Lawrence Phiri and legendary dribbler Majuta Mpofu the only known stars.
But years in the South Zone Soccer League made them lesser opponents.
Another Highlanders coach who when still smarting on his new role won the Chibuku Cup was Barry Daka in 1984. He was only a few months from Olympics when club legends the then irrepressible speedy dribbler Madinda Ndlovu and rising Willard Khumalo scored in the 2-1 Chibuku Trophy triumph over Dynamos whose consolation goal came through Douglas Chinyoka.
Daka would add a second in 1986, a 2-1 win over CAPS United.
He was foiled by Arcadia in 1985 and Zimbabwe Saints in 1988.
As a player Daka failed in the 1974 and 1976 finals of the same tournament.
With Chibuku bouncing back after pulling out in 1989, now rebranded as the Chibuku Super Cup,
Pieter de Jongh brought smiles to Bulawayo with a 1-0 win over Ngezi Platinum in 2019.
Since then Highlanders have failed to win national tournaments.
Highlanders have looked improved under Mwaruwari despite not boasting a team that cannot stand pound for pound with the top six clubs in the country.
Teamwork, unity and hunger has been bare for all to admire in the approach.
Could this be Benjani Mwaruwari and Co’s chance to lift silverware?
Time will tell, but history or coincidences favour him to carry the day.
