Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube
Zimbabwe Sports Hub
PSL giants Dynamos could find themselves out of the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup if they take Hwange lightly in the last 32.
Aristica Cioaba’s charges face their fate this weekend at the Colliery.
Although Hwange are playing in the Southern Region division one, they can be extremely competitive, especially playing in their backyard.
And it will not be the first time that DeMbare face a nightmare in that part of the country, facing the same opponent.
After the goalless draw with ZPC Kariba in their last league match at Nyamhunga, DeMbare immediately flew to Hwange for this encounter.
This means they will be camped there for the whole week, a period they are also using for team building ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup and the rest of the Castle Lager Premiership.
Yesterday, football legend Tyman Ncube challenged Hwange players to step up and present strong opposition to Dynamos’ bid in this inaugural Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.
The Cup is the most lucrative competition in the country, with US$5 million set aside for this year’s edition.
Competition for the third round, which has 32 teams of which 18 are Premiership clubs, starts this Friday and promises to be a thriller.
In the past, it was known as the Castle Cup, Zifa Cup, Natbrew Cup, Zifa Natbrew Cup, and later the Unity Cup.
Ncube, who played for Hwange (formerly Wankie) and for Chibuku Shumba, was nicknamed the Ghost of Chibuku as he would ghost into the box to score regularly.
“The boys have to step up; this is a big time. We knew every time we played Dynamos it was a top drawer match with either side eager to win. Players knew what it meant to don the Wankie colours, and Dynamos would be up and ready to defend the badge. It was that kind of a match that every player wanted to be part of and worked hard to be selected,” said Ncube, an opportunistic striker who was part of the initial Rhodesia squad for the final World Cup qualifier against Australia in 1969.
The country lost to Australia in the qualifier, which was replayed after the first match had been drawn, and missed out on an opportunity to play at the 1970 World Cup.
Ncube was part of the Wankie side that beat Dynamos 9-8 in a marathon penalty shoot-out of the Castle Cup final in 1973.
The first match had ended in a 2-2 draw with the second 3-3, with an Ernest Kamba hat-trick while the coalminers had Ncube scoring a brace and another from legendary Rodrick Simwanza.
In the third semi-final, Ncube, Ken Fulton and the late Barry Daka were on target for Wankie, while The Master Mind, George Shaya, Kamba, and David Madondo scored for Dynamos. In the ensuing penalty shoot-out towards the end there was violence and the lottery was banned and lifted after 1980.
“The boys will have to rise to it; they are in the championship race in Division One, and a win would lift them in the championship campaign. Hwange is a Premiership division; we fought hard to brand the team. The onus is on the boys to take the responsibility by the scruff of the neck. Hwange people would love to see their team do well,” said the legendary striker.
Ncube played alongside Daniel and Amos Rendo, Isaac Phiri, Masiyiwa Sakala, Joseph Chimao, Sam Mutende, and Mwape Sakala.
Dynamos and Highlanders have always been the teams to beat in Zimbabwe football.
Round of 32 Fixtures
Friday: Aqua v Chilli FC (Luveve)
Saturday: MWOS Under-19 v Chatidhege FC (Ngoni), Blackrock v Highlanders (Colliery), FC Odene v Scottland (Baobab), Mamene v FC Platinum (Chahwanda), Gwanda Pirates v Jordan (Pelandaba), Bulawayo Chiefs v Agama (Luveve), MWOS v Herentals (Ngoni)
Sunday: Chicken Inn v Ngezi Platinum (Luveve), Scottland Juniors v Caps United (Baobab), TelOne v Blanket Mine (Ascot),Simba Bhora v Manica Diamonds (Wadzanayi), Hwange v Dynamos (Colliery), Kwekwe United v Hardrock (Chahwanda), Norton Big Boys v FC Hunters (Ngoni), ZPC Kariba v Triangle (Nyamhunga)
