…DeMbare, Bosso renew rivalry

…Revived Makepekepe date the new league champions

TRADITIONAL soccer giants Dynamos and Highlanders will clash in the semi final of the NetOne Easycall Cup while resurgent Caps United were drawn to play new league champions Chicken Inn at a draw held in Harare Tuesday morning.

Both matches will played at Babourfields in Bulawayo over two days during the weekend of December  5 and 6 with the PSL now expected to determine which clash will be played first.

Former league champions Dynamos are hard pressed to win the Easycall Cup after missing out on both the league title and the Chibuku Super Cup in which they lost 1-2 to Harare City in the final.

Highlanders have also had a below par season but have picked themselves up in the last couple of weeks and should fancy their chances against old nemesis DeMbare, whom they have struggled to beat in the past 10 years.

Bosso can however draw comfort from their recent 1-0 victory over DeMbare in the Defence Forces Commander’s Charity Cup at Rufaro on August 1.

“The Easycall Cup not only gives us a chance to redeem ourselves after a rather below par season, but it also gives us an opportunity to boost our coffers before Christmas.

“We wanted this kind of a draw, we want to get rid of Dynamos so that when we get to the final we won’t have too much pressure,” said Mqcini Mpofu, Highlanders vice chairman.

Dynamos treasurer, Webster Marechera, who represented the giants at the function, is wary of a resurgent Bosso.

“I wasn’t expecting this kind of a draw, it will be a mammoth task playing against a revived Bosso but at DeMbare we are used to these kinds of situations.

“We will use our experience and history also tells you they (Highlanders) have struggled against us in the past 10 years,” he said.

Winners of the Easycall Cup will pocket $85 000.

Chitembwe dreams big

CAPS UNITED coach Lloyd Chitembwe attributes his team’s sudden transformation to a change in attitude among his players and he now believes Makepekepe will have a huge say in the NetOne Easycall Cup.

Makepekepe were on Tuesday morning drawn to play against new league champions Chicken Inn in the semi final of the NetOne Easycall Cup to be played at Babourfields during the weekend of December 5 and 6.

Caps United have lost only once – against ZPC Kariba – in the eight league matches Chitembwe has been in charge and the former Warriors defensive linkman has now set his sights on a major cup.

He thinks his players’ attitude will be key in the duel against a well drilled Gamecocks.

“This run has a lot to do with the change of attitude, I am sure the players are now focused, they now value football as a source of livelihood and not a pastime,” said Chitembwe.

“They (players) have shown more commitment, in fact, changing the players’ attitude is the first step towards getting things correct at any football institution.

“We will go to Bulawayo to compete against a team that has been crowned champions but  we have a very good chance of progressing to the final.

“We have been doing very well in recent weeks and this one is poised to be a very good game of football,” said Chitembwe.

The arrival of Chitembwe has caused a dramatic transformation of some players who seemed over the edge.

Attacking linkman Joel “Josta” Ngodzo and defensive linkman Dominic Mukandi have been the main highlight of Chitembwe’s success story.

The former Cup Kings knocked out Hwange at the National Sports in the quarterfinal while Chicken Inn got the better of ZPC Kariba after a penalty shootout at Nyamhunga.

Chicken Inn coach Joey “Mafero” Antipas, who is riding high after bagging his second league title in five years, having done so with Motor Action in 2010, has promised massive resistance from his buoyant boys.

“We have less pressure now and we are gunning for a league and cup double now,” Antipas has said.