BY FORTUNE MBELE HIGHLANDERS and Dynamos lock horns in yet another potentially explosive encounter at tomorrow in a match that is expected to attract the largest crowd in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League so far.
The two Zimbabwe football giants last met on April 18 in an exciting Independence Day Trophy final in which the Bulawayo giants emerged victors and in recent years they have dominated the Glamour Boys. But Highlanders coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu believes history could deceive them.
Highlanders are on a low and seek to lift themselves up from the unfamiliar position 12 on the log table as they still believe they can land the championship. Mpofu said beating Dynamos tomorrow could be a turning point for the Bulawayo giants.
He says the game is a must-win for Highlanders and if it so happens, they become the first team to beat the log leaders after nine matches as Dynamos last tasted defeat in February.
“A must-win for us, it’s a big game for us. We are ready for Dynamos and we all know what it means getting three points from Dynamos. It means a lot and we hope to get those three points maybe it will be a turning point for us going forward. Yes, we are 14 points behind them but we must take a leaf especially when you look at one time in England where Liverpool were 14 points away from Man City but now they are just three points away. That can also happen to us but first and foremost we channel our efforts to Dynamos and make sure that we get the three points that we need,” Mpofu said.
He urged the Bulawayo giants’ fans to throng BF and rally behind his charges.
“It’s a motivating game when we play Dynamos. No one will push the other, everyone in the club knows how important it is to beat Dynamos and we want to go out there on Sunday and beat them. We want to play them every day and beat them. It’s a must-win; there are no two ways about it. They are not an easy team; it’s not going to be an easy game. They are on top because they are playing well and I would like to urge the fans to come in their numbers and give us the cheer. They are very important in this game. They must come in their numbers, fill up the stadium and intimidate our opponents as much as possible,” he said.
The coach is not reading much into past games that the two teams have engaged in.
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“When you play Dynamos it is not an easy game but we are not reading much into history because anything can happen on Sunday, but like I have said playing Dynamos is itself a motivator. We are all motivated; we are motivated as coaches,” Mpofu said.
The Bulawayo giants are banking on strikers Stanley Ngala, Lynoth Chikuhwa, Washington Navaya and Godfrey Makaruse, while attacking midfielder Devine Mhindirira has been evergreen for Bosso as they also welcome back vice-captain Nqobizitha Masuku from injury.
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