HARARE City coach Bigboy Mawiwi says he can handle the pressure as his team prepares for the decisive Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) tie against Caps United at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Sunday.
TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
And he has to handle this pressure without the key suspended pair of Silas Songani and Crispen Dickson, who have each accumulated three yellow cards and will only be back in action next season.
Songani was destructive in the 4-0 demolition of Highlanders at the weekend that saw City rise to the top of the standings, but just as fate would have it, will miss the ultimate match of the season.
Caps, on the other hand, will have to do without Leonard Fiyado, who has also accumulated three yellow cards. The Sunshine City Boys now lead the race for the title with 53 points while defending champions Dynamos and Highlanders are in second and third place respectively, with 51 points each.
City face Caps United who are aiming for a top-four finish in their last match of the campaign and a victory of any margin over the Harare giants will land Harare City the championship — which will be their first since their promotion into the elite league three years ago.
Mawiwi remains confident. He said he had been in the same situation before and still managed to overcome the challenge. The Harare City coach is credited for leading Circle United into the PSL way back in 2000.
He faced Sporting Lions then under the guidance of David Mandigora with Arthur Tutani the assistant in the last match of the season.
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Mawiwi managed to guide Circle United to the PSL after beating Sporting Lions.
He said that experience will help him as he plots the downfall of Makepekepe.
“I have been in this situation before,” Mawiwi said. “When I led Circle United to the PSL in 2000, there was Sporting Lions in our way, but I am managed to beat them. That experience will help us as we approach the Sunday match against Caps United. We will remain levelheaded like we have been from week one. There is nothing special about this match. We are just taking it easy. We should enjoy the game and express ourselves freely. We don’t have any pressure,” Mawiwi said.
Dynamos on second spot after being held to a 2-2 draw at Chicken Inn, will host relegation-threatened side Black Mambas in a must-win match as they will be hoping that both Harare City and Highlanders stumble in their last matches of the campaign.
Dynamos will miss midfielder Steven Alimenda through suspension while Mambas’ Innocent Nyoni is also out.
In the event that they win at Black Mambas with Highlanders and Harare City faltering, they will be crowned champions for the third successive season.
Highlanders will be at home against Luke Masomere’s Shabanie Mine in their last match of the season hoping for a slip-up by both Dynamos and Harare City.
Should the Bulawayo giants win with both Dynamos and Harare City faltering, Bosso will walk to the winners’ podium for the first time since 2006.
