THE BancABC Sup8r Cup final is on tomorrow with Zvishavane town rivals FC Platinum and Shabanie Mine locking horns in the $120 000 decider at Mandava Stadium.
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Finals do not come this big and they don’t come through a derby. But having earned their place in the final, the two Midlands teams will seek glory tomorrow afternoon.
It’s the second time this year that Zvishavane brings some of the biggest Premier Soccer League clubs in the country to the venue after the NetOne Charity Shield that was played at Mandava Stadium in March.
It was Caps United, FC Platinum, Chicken Inn and Monomotapa who trooped into the Midlands for the NetOne Charity Shield tournament after they were voted in to take part in the competition by the country’s football fans through an sms platform. Top guns Dynamos and Highlanders lost out.
Then, Mandava also saw the trial-run of pay-per-view channel SuperSport who broadcast the tournament in preparation for flighting some of the league games.
That has gone on successfully. This time, it’s the Midlands giants in the league — FC Platinum and Shabanie Mine — battling it out for this year’s Sup8r Cup.
Shabanie Mine coach Luke Masomere said: “This is big for Zvishavane.
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The last time I remember a cup final we played in a small town was in Masvingo, but I can’t remember when. We urge all our fans from Shabanie Mine and FC Platinum to come support their teams in peace and for everybody to observe fair play.”
Masomere said he was aware of Platinum’s threat, but was confident the former asbestos miners, who last won a cup final in 2001 when they beat Dynamos in the BP Cup, would not be pushovers.
“We have prepared very well for this match and we are very much aware of the threat that Platinum pose. They are financially sound and get the best players with some from outside the country and we can’t even afford a player from Mberengwa.
“But we are not going to be pushovers. Everybody is ready and morale is high in camp and we are definitely going to win this cup,” Masomere said.
Shabanie Mine boasts exciting players who could spell disaster for Platinum in exciting midfielder Fungai Chirinda, veteran Tafadzwa Mombeshora, Caleb Masocha, Pervington Zimunya, Tarisai Rukanda, Valentine Ndaba and Smart Muchabaiwa and goalkeeper Victor Twaliki.
Platinum mentor Lloyd Mutasa, eyeing the third piece of silverware for the platinum miners since they came into the league, said it’s every coach’s dream to win a final.
“So far so good. Everyone is eager to play a part. Everyone has been training hard and now the onus is on us as the coaches to come up with the final 18 for the match. It’s every coach’s dream to win a cup final, but it will be a closely contested fight but I believe we have the arsenal to see us through,” Mutasa said.
Mutasa added that Ali Sadiki and Raymond Sibanda are doubtful starters for the match due to injury.
“Chances are very slim that they will play,” Mutasa added.
The men to watch at Platinum are Charles Sibanda, Donald Ngoma and Nelson Maziwisa, skipper Daniel Veremu, Joel Ngodzo, Thabani Kamusoko and Aaron Katebe.
