WHATEVER happens on November 30 in the Mbada Diamonds Cup final against Highlanders will mean little to How Mine.
FORTUNE MBELE SPORTS REPORTER
They have met their objectives in the competition — to avoid being knocked out in the first round — and gone even further to knock out defending champions Dynamos and Caps United from the competition.
While the organisers of the competition and the Premier Soccer League are still to decide on the venue of the final, How Mine are already $90 000 richer, so it really does not matter what happens on November 30.
Barbourfields Stadium remains the natural choice for the final as Mbada Diamonds set the trend in the last two seasons.
In 2011, Dynamos played Motor Action at the National Sports Stadium and Rufaro Stadium was the venue last year between Dynamos and Monomotapa.
This was largely due to the fact that the teams involved in the final were from the capital city and now that in 2013 the two teams are from Bulawayo, there would be no need to decide otherwise.
Suffice to say, the BancABC Sup8r final was staged at Mandava Stadium, Zvishavane, between FC Platinum and Shabanie Mine. For Mbada to then think otherwise would be suicide.
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That aside, 2013 will mark the first time that a team from outside Harare will be in the final and the first time that a Bulawayo team would claim the competition.
While all eyes are on Highlanders, there is no doubt that How Mine are simply the team of the moment.
It’s a dream final for How Mine in their first year in top-flight football and for coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube, who clearly stated that his mission was to play in Africa next season.
How Mine, though have said they will stand guided by the team’s owners Metallon Gold Zimbabwe on their participation in the 2014 Caf Confederation Cup.
Highlanders, even if they win, are still serving their three-year Caf ban after they were suspended when Zifa blundered and registered the Bulawayo giants for the 2011 competition without their consent.
Bosso withdrew from the competition attracting a $1 500 fine and three-year ban effective, 2012. While there has been debate on when the ban took effect, it is common knowledge that you cannot be banned from the competition that you have withdrawn from that particular year.
How Mine club chairman Mlondolozi Nkomo yesterday said they will just focus on playing the Mbada final and finishing the league in a respectable position.
“We will stand directed by the owners of the team if we have the capacity to take part in the Confederation Cup. Our focus for now is playing the final and finishing the league, but otherwise we would cherish taking part in the continental showcase as it would give our boys exposure. But for now we leave it to the corporate side. We don’t want to give ourselves too much head ache this time around,” Nkomo said.
The giant killers have remained holed up in Harare and took an off day yesterday and will resume preparations today for their league match against Monomotapa at Gwanzura Stadium on Thursday.
It is also a dream final for Highlanders who last won a piece of silverware in 2011 and for their head coach Kelvin Kaindu who engages in his first cup final with Bosso since joining them at the beginning of last year.
