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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS and Highlanders players shared the same open top bus during the road shows in Mashonaland Central at the weekend but today they will put the camaraderie aside as they battle for honours in the historic Independence Trophy final clash at Mt Darwin High School.
The high profile match is set to put the icing on the cake to the 43rd Independence celebrations, to be held for the first time outside the major cities of Harare and Bulawayo.
There was good news yesterday for DeMbare, who are set to miss about four players due to injuries, as captain Frank Makarati is expected to be back for the clash.
But fan-favourite Denver Mukamba, as well as Donald Mudadi and reserve goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa were confirmed unavailable for the historic match because of injuries.
Star winger Issa Sadiki is also a huge doubt after he joined the DeMbare casualty ward. However, the Glamour Boys coach Herbert Maruwa yesterday said DeMbare are still going to be at their strongest.
“Like we said before we are going to feature the strongest team available to us, the same that was supposed to play the postponed league match (between the two sides). We trust Highlanders are going to do the same and we expect a tough match. “Normally current form does not count whenever these two teams meet. Usually it’s the best team on the day that wins. So we hope we will be the best team on the day.
“Fans should be treated to some entertaining football. It’s good for the nation especially as we celebrate our nation’s 43rd Independence. We met a lot of enthusiastic and passionate football fans during the road shows. They are eager for this match,” said Maruwa.
Most of the current crop of Dynamos players are hungry to win the Uhuru Cup for the first time. The likes of Emmanuel Paga, Tendai Matindife, Arthur Musiyiwa, Eli Ilunga, Donald Dzvinyai, Emmanuel Ziocha, Tanaka Shandirwa and Junior Makunike, have never lifted the Uhuru Trophy.
Both sides appear to have taken their full strength squads for the match with Highlanders having the likes of Ariel Sibanda, Mbongeni Ndlovu, Peter Mudhuwa and Godfrey Makaruse all in camp.
Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito also said Bosso will throw into the fray their full strength team for the Independence Trophy showdown.
“It’s a game where we’re facing the main rivals in the country. So we go to the cup as we did in the last games with a competitive team, we’ll make some changes but it will be a competitive team and we’ll field a starting XI that can give us a good result for that game.
“We had some feedback about the field. At the moment we can focus on the positive sides about the game. It’s a game that there are two rivals, with one common sponsor (Sakunda Holdings) who is doing everything for the two sides. The two teams have a strong history in Zimbabwe and we’ve to go there with a positive mind and bring positive vibes to the game,” said Brito.
Dynamos and Highlanders conducted roadshows as part of the activities to hype up the match. The roadshow activities started at Madziva Centre before proceeding to Mount Darwin. Both sides had a familiarisation of the venue before ending the day’s programme. This will be the first time in many years that the rivals have clashed outside Harare and Bulawayo.
The main ceremony for the 43rd Independence Day celebrations will be held in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central Province, as the Second Republic continues to push the agenda of inclusivity and decentralisation of national programmes. The year 2023 will go down in the history of Zimbabwean football as the first time when the Independence Trophy was held outside of the two main cities.
The match was played in Bulawayo last year and it was only the second time it had been held there. The only other time that Bulawayo had hosted the Uhuru Cup was in 2005 when Highlanders played Motor Action at Barbourfields.
The football match is one of the major highlights for the main celebrations set for Mount Darwin High School, where President Mnangagwa will officiate as the guest of honour.
Highlanders are the current holders of the trophy having beaten the Glamour Boys 1-0 in Bulawayo last year.
In 2021, Dynamos triumphed 2-0 against the same opponents in a clash that marked the return of domestic football in the country after a year’s hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Online Reporter