JALAI SAYS KEEP THE PEACE!

Langton Nyakwenda

Zimpapers Sports Hub

EMMANUEL JALAI has been in enough Battles of Zimbabwe to know what’s coming.

For six straight years, the Dynamos captain has faced Highlanders, and he understands the emotions that ripple through Barbourfields whenever these two football powerhouses collide.

On Sunday, Bosso host DeMbare at Emagumeni in another high stakes chapter of the country’s most storied rivalry.

Jalai, who joined Dynamos in 2019 and is now their longest serving player, has seen both the beauty and the chaos that this fixture brings.

When things go right, the traditional giants produce the kind of football that reminds fans why they fell in love with the game.

When things go wrong, tempers flare and violence erupts, sometimes forcing premature endings.

Tension will again hang thick in the City of Kings this weekend, with subplots everywhere.

Dynamos, now under former Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu, are far from safe in the relegation fight. They sit on 33 points, the same tally as Bikita Minerals, who currently occupy the last drop zone.

Highlanders, just two points ahead of their rivals, are also nervously glancing over their shoulders.

“A tough game we are expecting. We have to work extra hard to get a positive result on Sunday,” Jalai told Zimpapers Sports Hub.

The energetic right back had a solid showing for the national team despite Zimbabwe’s 1–0 defeat to Lesotho in Polokwane on Monday. Now his focus shifts fully back to club duty, where he’ll once again lead the Glamour Boys into battle against Bosso.

The 26-year-old is preaching peace ahead of what promises to be a charged afternoon at Barbourfields.

“We encourage our supporters to come in their numbers and rally behind the team. We need them from the beginning up to the last whistle,” said Jalai.

He added, “I encourage safety and peace. This is a big football game, actually the biggest fixture in the land, and we have to give it our all.

As Dynamos, we don’t expect to lose against Highlanders because a lot is at stake. Our pride as a club is on the line, and at the same time we’re still fighting relegation. But both sets of fans should accept the outcome; there’s no need for violence.”

Dynamos remain unbeaten in their last nine league matches, their most recent defeat coming against Chicken Inn on July 27.