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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Easter Holidays football fiesta gets underway this afternoon with two blockbuster matches at Baobab and National Sports Stadium while Bulawayo’s first derby of the season also roars to life today when City takes on Chiefs at Barbourfields Stadium.
Still wounded from the 1-0 defeat to Harare City in their last encounter, Darlington Dodo’s boys will be hoping to inflict the first league defeat to fellow city neighbours Chiefs who have stood their own in the two games played so far although they have failed to hang on until the final whistle, something that has seen them throw away seemingly healthy two goal leads to end the match tied with their opponents.
Bulawayo Chiefs drew 2-2 with Yadah in their Premiership debut away in Harare and nearly caused a huge upset last Sunday when they took on Caps United at Luveve Stadium but experience at this level of the game has been their biggest undoing.
However, derbies by their very nature are unpredictable and form plays very little into the final result hence this afternoon’s encounter hasall the attributes of a pound for pound affair.
Across town at Luveve Stadium Chicken Inn welcome fellow PSL returnees Mutare City with hopes high that they will quickly get back to their winning ways following a 0-0 draw to Midlands based debutants Nichrut at Ascot Stadium last weekend.
With the GameCocks set to lose goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze a m onths, coach Joe Antipas willneed to do well to get as many lvis Chipezeze and hardworking Innoncent Muchaneka to Sond hardworking Innoncent Muchaneka to South African sides Baroka United and Maritzburg respectively in the next few muth African sides Baroka United and Maritzburg respectively in the next few months points as possible before the duo’s departure lest the going gets extremely tough in the later stages of the championship race.
The pick of today’s encounters is without doubt away from the city where early season title favourites, Ngezi Platinum play host to a rebuilding but troubled Dynamos at Baobab Stadium with ugly 2017 skirmishes at the same venue still vivid.
Last year’s encounter was marred by violence from both sets of fans.
“May we come in numbers to show the love we have for the game. Let’s promote football maturity and stop any means of violence. In football you either win, lose or draw. May the best team win,” Ngezi Platinum posted on their official Facebook account ahead of the encounter.
DeMbare are winless in their opening two games so far and would certainly want to face their biggest rivals on the local scene on Easter Monday with their confidence up. Dynamos will be home to Highlanders and they would not want to square up against Bosso with their confidence at a low.
It’s almost a similar sad state of affairs at DeMbare’s Harare rivals, Caps United, who too are yet to collect maximum points in their two opening games having only picked two points and they need to raise their game significantly if they are to salvage something at the expense of reigning champions, FC Platinum, who are eager to set an early pace at the summit.
Tomorrow, a psyched up Highlanders take on Triangle United at Barbourfields Stadium while Shabanie Mine and Nichrut lock horns in the Midlands derby at Mandava Stadium that can go either way.
Nichrut have to be on the lookout for the league’s leading goalscorer, David Temwanjira, who has scored three goals in the opening two rounds of the campaign.
Fixtures
Today: Chicken Inn v Mutare City (Luveve), Ngezi Platinum v Dynamos (Baobab), ZPC Kariba v Herentals (Nyamhunga), Yadah v Black Rhinos (Rufaro),Bulawayo City v Bulawayo Chiefs (Barbourfields), Chapungu v Harare City (Ascot), Caps United v FC Platinum (NSS).
Tomorrow: Highlanders v Triangle United (Barbourfields), Shabanie Mine v Nichrut (Mandava).
@skhumoyo2000
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter