admin
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE country’s traditional soccer rivals Dynamos and Highlanders have been handpicked to face off in the Uhuru Cup as part of the country’s 39th Independence celebrations at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.
The two rivals return to the Uhuru Cup after Zifa chose to invite Botswana to play against locally-based Warriors in last year’s celebrations at the same venue.
Although both teams are yet to hit top gear in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, tomorrow’s clash promises to be a thriller, as they tend to raise their game whenever they meet.
The Sports and Recreation Commission said it was appropriate to invite the two teams with the largest following in the country to provide entertainment for Zimbabweans at the main celebrations.
“As we celebrate Zimbabwe’s 39th Independence, we engaged Zifa to fixture two teams with great history Dynamos and Highlanders to provide entertainment. The final will be played at the National Sports Stadium,” said SRC in a statement.
There won’t be a football match at celebrations in Bulawayo at White City Stadium, which has afforded the Bulawayo Athletics Board an opportunity to hold its final ZITF Four-Minute Mile qualifier.
However, glamour will not be lost at the National Sports Stadium as pride will be at stake when the country’s biggest sides clash.
Dynamos and Highlanders head into tomorrow’s encounter smarting from defeats in their previous PSL games on the road.
DeMbare were humbled 2-0 by Chicken Inn in Bulawayo, while Bosso were hammered 3-1 by Harare City.
The desire to get the right formula before turning focus on the league is likely to spur both sets of players to do well.
For Highlanders, their desire to continue from where they left from last season when beating Dynamos home and away in the league games could be a motivating factor, while DeMbare can also draw inspiration from drawing first blood ahead of this year’s league clashes.
— @ZililoR
Online Reporter