adminUS$1 million Mbada Diamond Cup, which explodes into life this Sunday, at eight venues across the country.
While most of them have focused on survival in the league, the Diamond Cup provides them with an opportunity to inject cash into their coffers.
Shabanie Mine coach, Luke Masomere, whose side will lock horns with Blue Ribbon at Ascot, is looking forward to a fruitful run in the lucrative tournament.
“There is money here, just imagine after four matches you get money which you have not been guaranteed the whole year in the league.
“We are not going to be pushovers in this tournament and we want to do our best starting this weekend and show everyone that the Chinda Boys are still around.
“Everyone behind the team knows what we are capable of as a club,” said Masomere.
The duel in Gweru is likely to be exciting, as both teams have met twice this season and both encounters have fizzled out into 3-3 draws.
But this time there has to be winner and after 90 minutes of regulation time the match will go straight into a penalty shootout in the event of a draw. Masomere said he would be missing some experienced players whose input could have come in handy in such tournaments.
“Tawanda Mareya, Rowan Nenzou, Lennon Chisunga and Tarisai Rukanda are injured. We have a lot of injuries and if any of these players recover in time it will be better for us.
“But it should be a tough and exciting match,” said Masomere.
Shootings Stars’ coach Tonderai Marume said the club was headed for exciting times as they wanted to make a big impression in the tournament.
“Despite being in the relegation zone we have done well in the second round and in the Cup we are going to do well. We will play Hwange who are in the top eight and we respect them but we are going to do our very best.
“You could tell by the players’ response after the tournament was unveiled that they are excited. For a long time we didn’t have a tournament for all the teams if a team didn’t finish in the top eight,” said Marume.
Zimbabwe Saints, who were drawn against rivals Highlanders in a match which has been set for the Colliery, are also looking forward to a fine run in the inaugural Mbada Diamond Cup.
Chauya Chikwata were humbled 0-4 by Dynamos at Rufaro on Sunday.
But assistant coach, Edmore Sibanda, who is in charge of the team in the absence of ailing coach Ephraim Chiwanda, said they were not going to be pushovers.
“The tournament has come at a right for us. We want to prove to Highlanders that what they did to us in the league, beating us 2-0 and 3-0 home and away, was not the end of the world.
“This time in the cup we are playing at a neutral venue in Hwange. Our league matches, we play at Barbourfields, and they would be equally at home but this time around it shouldn’t give us a lot of problems.
“The morale is high because the Cup has a lot of incentives and the players want to go all the way to the final.
“We are in the relegation zone but we are not really worried because we are sure we will survive. Our remaining matches are relatively easy for us. We just need maximum points from the three games and we will survive,” said Sibanda.
However, it is a different case for bottom-placed Kiglon who believe they would rather not lose focus and concentrate on survival in the league.
Kiglon will play Chicken Inn at Mucheke and gaffer Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe said the focus remained on surviving relegation.
“We are more focussed on survival than the cup. We look at the amount of energy involved and don’t want to be drained. And if we win, that would be a bonus. But we don’t want to be like Mwana Africa who won a cup and were relegated. I am not taking anything away from the tournament but I would rather survive relegation,’ said Jongwe.
Fixtures (All Sunday)
Motor Action v Monomotapa (Sakubva), FC Platinum v Black Mambas (Gibo), Dynamos v CAPS United (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders v Zimbabwe Saints (Colliery), Chicken Inn v Kiglon (Mucheke), Hwange v Shooting Stars (Barbourfields), Gunners v Masvingo (Nyamhunga), Blue Ribbon v Shabanie (Ascot).
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