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Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
WINNING the Bob 90 Super Cup on Sunday will represent a big breakthrough for Highlanders in their desire to turn things around following six years of complete domination by bitter rivals Dynamos. But coach Kelvin Kaindu is not keen to put his new-look side under unnecessary pressure ahead of the Cup final at Rufaro.
The Zambian mentor insists his team is still work in progress ahead of the new season after the Bulawayo giants assembled a formidable squad during the last two months of pre-season preparations.
Bosso have gone on a massive recruitment drive, welcoming back some of their former players like Joel Ngodzo, Rahman Kutsanzira and Charles Sibanda.
They have featured in a series of warm-up games against such teams as FC Platinum and Premiership returnees Chapungu but Sunday’s Bob 90 Super Cup clash with Dynamos will provide them the first real test.
Highlanders will be looking to parade an array of their newly signed stars that include on-loan Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Kuda Mahachi, Felix Chindungwe, Valentine Ndaba and Welcome Ndiweni.
“It’s always a battle whenever the big teams clash. I think this is going to be an exciting match and we are working hard to bring all our new players for this encounter,” Kaindu told The Herald yesterday.
“We have a number of new players whom we hope to come with for the match but at the moment I can say we are still working on the squad.
“There is still a lot to work on and hopefully we will be able to get things right before the season starts.
“Right now we are trying to make sure that we have the right combinations, cohesion, gelling and at the same time integration of the old and new players.
“In terms of preparations (for the Bob Super Cup), we cannot really complain. But we have Rahman (Kutsanzira) and Simon Munawa who had knocks.
“The good thing is that they are up and about and have been training with the team of late. It’s too early to talk about their availability because we still have one or two training sessions.”
However, Bosso come to Harare in the back of worrying statistics as they have not prevailed over their opponents since 2006.
It’s a disturbing trend but the Bulawayo giants look charged-up this year following a strong pre-season build-up in which they also turned the tables on Harare City to book a date with Dynamos in the final of the Bob 90 Super Cup.
Milton Ncube and Peter “Rio” Moyo handed them a crucial 2-1 win after scoring a goal apiece at Barbourfields last month.
It was a sweet revenge on a side that virtually robbed them of a grand opportunity to win their first league title in seven years with a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the most crucial point of the race.
But after finishing as runners up to Dynamos in both the Bob Super Cup and the league race, Highlanders return this year with expectations high in their camp that they can do more.
Highlanders lost the Bob 89 Super Cup final to Dynamos 6-1 on aggregate last year in a two-legged final.
They suffered a 2-1 defeat at their Barbourfields fortress in the first round and in the return leg they capitulated to a 0-4 mauling at Rufaro.
A year has gone past and several changes have taken place in both camps.
Besides the morale-boosting effects of winning the pre-season silverware, Kaindu indicated they were looking beyond Sunday’s final of the Bob 90 Super Cup.
“It’s going to be an interesting season. We hope to be thoroughly prepared for the challenges (against the regular campaigners) but we will also have to see how the new teams are going to cope with Premiership football.
“Last year there were the likes of Triangle and Buffaloes who were very competitive and did well to maintain their status in the league.
“So it will be exciting, I think,” said Kaindu.
Online Reporter