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Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
WHILE he admits that Highlanders are a big institution that has been enjoying good performances, newly appointed Bulawayo Chiefs head coach Johanisi Nhumwa says the “spying” missions he engaged before he landed the job will help his side when the two teams clash in a Chibuku Super Cup first round match set for Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
Nhumwa was officially named Chiefs head coach last Wednesday to replace Joseph Sibindi who had in June taken over from Lizwe Sweswe. Sweswe is now with Gweru-based Sheasham.
“Highlanders is a very big club. They are in great form but I think we can match them. I have seen them play a number of times. They have a number of loopholes and we will need to capitalise on that,” said Nhumwa, an ex-Manica Diamonds coach.
He joined Bulawayo Chiefs from Filabusi-based Southern Region Division One side Jordan Sinnot. In the previous edition of the tournament, Chiefs booted out Bosso at the quarter-final stage courtesy of a Malvin Mkolo strike. Chiefs went on to win the trophy after edging Herentals 1-0 at Emagumeni with Arthur Musiiwa, now with Dynamos, grabbing the all-important goal.
It was an entertaining cup final that Chiefs’ man of the moment, Obriel Chirinda watched from the terraces due to suspension. Chirinda, who has so far scored nine goals for his paymasters, saw red right at the death of their quarter-final match against Bosso after a second bookable offence.
The bustling forward was on Bosso coach Baltermar Brito’s wish list in the just closed mid-season transfer window and it remains to be seen how he will perform against a club that has been dying to get his signature.
In the build-up to today’s match Chirinda vowed that they are going to get the better of the Bulawayo football giants and his new mentor also underscored that there is quality arsenal in the Twitter Kings’ camp.
“I have played Highlanders before during my days at Manica Diamonds. Bulawayo Chiefs is also a big team in the league. Football is football but following what I have seen, there is quality at Bulawayo Chiefs. Physically the players are good and in terms of their tactical abilities they are a way ahead. So it will all depend on how we move from defence to attack.”
Besides Chirinda, Chiefs will also bank on the services of hard-running Farau Matare, ex-Warriors captain Danny “Deco” Phiri and their evergreen skipper Mkolo. At Chiefs, Phiri has managed to turn back the hands of time and he has never put any foot wrong in the middle of the park where he will fight it out with Highlander’s Melikhaya Ncube and Brighton Manhire.
Bosso have a solid back four that is ably commanded by captain and goalkeeper Ariel “Mangoye” Sibanda.
Sibanda has only been beaten four times this season after 18 league outings. If Chirinda does manage to bring his marauding form to Emagumeni, it then remains to be seen if Sibanda will be able to summon his breathing-taking goalkeeping skills and help Bosso advance to the next stage of the cup competition. Bosso go into the match with a clean health of bill and they are wary of their opponents.
“It’s a great competition, competition that we will want to take seriously. We know they won the Chibuku Cup last year and the coming in of a new coach might give their players so much confidence. They can also bring different dynamics to their play. So, we don’t know how they are going to approach the game. As such, we are going to concentrate on our style of play,” said Brito.
In another Chibuku Super Cup first round match set for today, last year’s losing finalists Herentals will face Luke Masomere mentored ZPC Kariba at Zvishavane’s Mandava Stadium. Sheasham and Cranborne Bullets have already been shown the exit after falling to Black Rhinos and Yadah FC respectively in the preliminary round matches that were both staged at Mhondoro’s Baobab Stadium last Wednesday.
Fixtures
Today: Highlanders FC v Bulawayo Chiefs FC (Barbourfields Stadium), Caps United v Hwange (Bata), Herentals v ZPC Kariba (Mandava). — @FungaiMuderere.
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