Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DYNAMOS captain Emmanuel Jalai says battles against Highlanders are never easy but they will be motivated by their recent success in the Chibuku Super Cup.
The two giants will battle in the semi-final of the country’s premier knockout tournament at Rufaro on Sunday. This will be the two team’s second clash inside a week after a 1-1 draw at Barbourfields in a league match on Sunday.
But there has to be a winner this time around and Jalai believes the Glamour Boys are motivated going into the last-four clash.
Without two of their most influential players, Denver Mukamba and Jairos Kasondo, through suspension, DeMbare know the job will be harder.
They have already eliminated Yadah, Simba Bhora and ZPC Kariba.
It is Kasondo who scored the equalising goal against Bosso last Sunday while Mukamba has been providing the X-Factor.
But both players will watch from the stands as the others attempt to work a way into what will be their third successive Chibuku Super Cup final appearance. While DeMbare are eying to get into the final and possibly win a record third Chibuku Super Cup, Bosso know they can stop them in their tracks and instead book a final berth themselves where they could then win and equal their rivals’ two triumphs.
Jalai knows conceding first against Bosso will likely affect their game plan the way it did last Sunday and they will stand ready to avoid that.
“They are a big team by any measure and the match will be very tough. It is one of those matches where the better team on the day will claim the victory.
“We want to be that better team and that is what we are working on right now.
“We are very much motivated as a team knowing that we have been winning the Chibuku Super Cup in the past two seasons. That alone is a source of pride for us and we know it also comes with a bit of pressure.
“This is a game against Highlanders where literally everything, even a throw in matters. We are ready as Dynamos and we hope to deliver on the big stage.”
Coach Kelvin Kaindu will get another opportunity to beat his former bosses.
The Zambian gaffer didn’t feel any animosity when he returned to Barbourfields for the first time last Sunday, three months after his unceremonious ouster.
While he didn’t win the match as he would have liked, Kaindu knows he has that big chance to do so and eliminate Bosso at Rufaro where Jalai has called upon fans to fill up the stadium and rally behind the team. “As Dynamos, fans are our souls. They make us what we are and I can only plead to them to come in their numbersand rally the team to victory.
“We should always salute them for they are our pillars. We are ready for Highlanders and we know with our 12th man around, we can be a better team.”
