Innocent Kurira [email protected]
HIGHLANDERS have a score to settle with CAPS United when the two sides meet in tomorrow’s Chibuku Super Cup semi-final at Rufaro Stadium, with Bosso seeking to avoid a third defeat against the Green Machine this season.
Having lost 4-2 in Harare and 2-1 at Barbourfields Stadium in the league, Highlanders will be eager to reverse that record and keep their hopes of winning silverware during their centenary year.
With little consolation from their league campaign, Bosso have one more opportunity to give their supporters something to celebrate and add a memorable footballing achievement to their centenary celebrations.
The two league defeats against CAPS United have left Highlanders with unfinished business, making Sunday’s showdown at Rufaro Stadium an opportunity to settle scores on the pitch.
Bosso lost 4-2 in Harare before suffering a 2-1 defeat at Barbourfields Stadium.
Former Highlanders and CAPS United player Gift Lunga Junior believes the occasion demands a special performance from Bosso, warning that another defeat against their traditional rivals would be difficult for the club’s supporters to stomach.
Lunga, a Highlanders legend who understands the expectations that come with wearing the black and white jersey, said the players must appreciate what is at stake and give everything to keep their Chibuku Super
Cup dream alive.
“The boys really have to bring this one home. It’s not an easy game but the only thing that can put a smile on fans’ faces is winning the Chibuku Super Cup.
“We have already lost twice to CAPS United in the league and it can’t be three times.
“The technical team is aware of that, as well as the players.
“These are the kind of games where 90 percent is players’ effort and the coach just has to do a little,” said Lunga.
His assessment underlines the importance of individual commitment in a high-pressure knockout encounter, where tactical preparation must be matched by determination, discipline and the willingness to fight for every ball.
Having already experienced defeat against CAPS United twice this season, Highlanders will also need to demonstrate that they have learnt from those encounters and can respond when the stakes are considerably higher.
A third defeat would hand the Green Machine another psychological advantage while deepening the disappointment of a Highlanders campaign in which supporters have been yearning for silverware.
Another former player familiar with both clubs, Siza Khoza, believes the significance of the fixture should provide sufficient motivation for the Bosso players to deliver.
With the Chibuku Super Cup representing Highlanders’ remaining opportunity to compete for silverware this season, Khoza said the players must approach the semi-final with the seriousness it demands.
“This is the only cup that is there to win. For the pride of the team, this is the only cup that is there for us to win and the boys have to make sure they deliver.
“This is a big game between two big giants in the country. The game is self-motivating for the players. The approach to this game has to be very positive,” said Khoza.
His sentiments reflect the stature of a fixture that needs little introduction in Zimbabwean football. Highlanders and CAPS United are among the country’s traditional giants, and their meetings carry the weight of history, club identity and the enduring battle for bragging rights.
However, Sunday’s encounter presents Highlanders with an added challenge: overcoming a familiar opponent that has already beaten them twice in the league.
Unlike those encounters, the semi-final offers no room for recovery through subsequent league fixtures. Defeat would end Bosso’s hopes of lifting the trophy, while victory would bring them within one match of securing silverware during a landmark year in the club’s history.
Highlanders’ centenary celebrations have renewed attention on the club’s rich heritage, but supporters will also want to see that history reflected in performances and results on the pitch.
Winning the Chibuku Super Cup would provide a fitting sporting highlight for the anniversary celebrations while giving the players an opportunity to repay the loyalty of their supporters.
Having represented both clubs, Lunga and Khoza understand the emotions surrounding such encounters. Their message to the current Highlanders generation is that matches of this magnitude demand performances that go beyond the ordinary.
The technical team can devise the game plan, but the players must provide the urgency, discipline and fighting spirit needed to overcome their rivals.
For Bosso, Sunday is an opportunity to turn a difficult season into one remembered for a trophy rather than disappointment.
A place in the final would bring them a step closer to that goal and offer their supporters renewed belief in a season that still has something meaningful to deliver.
