Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo in BULAWAYO
SCOTTLAND coach Norman Mapeza believes it will be special for him to win the Independence Trophy for the second year running when his team play Highlanders in Maphisa tomorrow.
Mapeza grabbed gold last year when he led FC Platinum to the podium after beating Simba Bhora in a weather-shortened match in Gokwe.
The forecast is this time indicating to ideal conditions which will be conducive for a match organised to wrap up the country’s Independence celebrations to take place.
Mapeza has never taken this fixture lightly right from his donkey years at FC Platinum due to the sentimental value attached to the day.
He will field the regular Scottland squad, that landed in Bulawayo yesterday and headed straight into training, to fight for the special piece of silverware.
“I think the Independence Trophy is more than just football. It’s a match that we in the football field use to join the rest of the country in celebrating our Independence,” said Mapeza.
Look, there are men and women in this country who died to liberate Zimbabwe.
“It’s very rare to find a family in Zimbabwe which didn’t lose a loved one during the fight for Independence.
“That means we have to take this day seriously in whatever we are doing whether playing football or anything else.
“It’s our day as Zimbabweans and we should celebrate our Independence.”
He added: “Coming to the match, I think as Scottland, we really need to win it. I won it with FC Platinum in Gokwe last year and that was satisfactory for me.
“But Scottland is playing for the first time and it will be good for us to win this trophy. We have been preparing for it and we are ready for the challenge.”
The legendary gaffer hailed the Government for decentralizing the game across the country.
“I would like to salute the Government for this initiative (decentralizing Independence celebrations.
“Look, last year, we played in Gokwe. The folks there in Gokwe were able to meet and mingle with the players they normally see on television or read in the newspapers,” Mapeza said.
“And this time around, we will be in Maphisa where some of the people may have never met some of the stars from both Scottland and Highlanders.
“That brings everyone closer to everything and I would like to commend that initiative.”
Both Scottland and Highlanders are yet to taste defeat in the Premier Soccer League, seven weeks on.
Scottland are placed fifth on the log standings with 13 points, three behind leaders CAPS United while Bosso are in the bottom half of the log with seven points all accumulated from seven draws.
For the latter, there will be no draw in Maphisa tomorrow as there has to be a winner at the end of it all.
Highlanders veteran defender Andrew Mbeba said: “We won the Independence Trophy in Mt Darwin three years ago and we want to repeat the same in Maphisa.
“We know the match won’t be easy for us, but we are really raring to go.
“The lads are deriving a lot of inspiration from our streak without defeat. We are not taking it as a winless phase, but we are using it as fuel to light the fire in us.
“The fire will be on against Scottland in Maphisa I believe and we will be happy if we do emerge as winners at the end of the day because we know the match will be tough against one of the best teams in the country right now.”
Mathew Masinge