HOW MINE Football Club are on the verge of making Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) history of becoming the first club to come from Division One to reach the final of a major cup tournament as they plot another giant-slaying act when they date Caps United in the semi-final of the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
FORTUNE MBELE SPORTS REPORTER
How Mine clash with the former cup kings, Makepekepe, at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday after shocking two-time holders Dynamos with a 28th minute Thembani Masuku solitary goal in the quarter-final of the country’s richest football tournament on October 13 at Rufaro Stadium.
The gold miners will return to Harare for the semi-final of the tournament, this time against the Green Machine who have beaten them back-to-back in the league.
Coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube is out to prove why he was voted the 2008 coach of the year and will continue with How Mine’s 2013 raids of being the giant killers in the PSL.
Club chairman Mlondolozi Nkomo yesterday warned Caps United and said football fans in the country should not rule yet another upset in the competition.
“Caps United beat us 1-0 in the league at the same venue two weeks ago and they beat us 2-1 in April at Luveve. They have the edge over us and we are going in there as underdogs. We are carrying that underdog tag, but we promise to give it our best.
“We are still not ruling out another upset and we are looking forward to playing in the final of the Mbada Diamonds Cup. We are strongly motivated by the desire to play in the final and that will cap a fine season for us in the PSL,” Nkomo said.
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Nkomo said they would be out to give Caps United a good run for their money come Sunday. “They (Caps) should expect a good match and we would like to urge all football fans in the country to come to Harare and cheer the underdogs,” Nkomo said.
How Mine are coming from a morale boosting 1-0 win over Hwange in a league match at Luveve on Saturday, which set them on the right path to survive relegation.
The PSL debutants surprised all and sundry in the country’s football circles when they stunned Dynamos 1-0 in the quarter-final of the tournament and it was not the first time they edged the champions after they dispatched them 1-0 in a league match at Luveve in July.
How Mine made history in September when they completed a double over Highlanders, becoming the first team to beat Bosso back-to-back in Bulawayo derbies — worse still coming from Division One. It also remains a fact that in two league matches, Highlanders are yet to score against How Mine as the 1-2 first loss had Hebert Dick scoring an own goal.
Caps United have, however, insisted they are not Dynamos or Highlanders and are looking forward to reaching the final of the tournament.
“We have been playing well away from home in this tournament, but now we are playing at home for the first time. We will see how it goes. Of course, How Mine have beaten Dynamos and Highlanders, but this will be a different ball game.
“We are Caps United. We are different from Dynamos and Highlanders. We are looking forward to advancing to the final,” Caps United goalkeepers’ coach Brenna Msiska, said.
