Chapungu out to break jinx

Sport
IT’S been 12 years since Chapungu last won against former league champions Highlanders and they will be hoping to break that jinx when the teams square off at Ascot Stadium in a Cephas George Msipa Charity Cup semi-final tie on Saturday.

IT’S been 12 years since Chapungu last won against former league champions Highlanders and they will be hoping to break that jinx when the teams square off at Ascot Stadium in a Cephas George Msipa Charity Cup semi-final tie on Saturday. Chapungu has drawn once against Highlanders and last won against Bosso in 2001 when they beat them 4-1 at Ascot.

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Highlanders and Chapungu will play in one of two matches scheduled for Saturday while the other match will be played at Mandava Stadium between town rivals Shabanie Mine and FC Platinum. Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino said they were ready for the match.

“The mood is OK in our camp. The players have been preparing well for the match and following their 5-1 win over How Mine at the weekend they are easily motivated.

“We are playing at the same level with Highlanders, but we have much respect for them. At the moment I am not in a position to reveal the new players because we are still in negotiations.

“Once we have completed the negotiations we will release the names,” he said.

What is known though is that Brighton Mugoni, Roy Mazingi, Maxwell Mavhuto and Liberty Kim have joined the BancEASY-sponsored outfit. Highlanders have so far played two matches with the new signings and have won both. They first played in the Bob 90 Super Cup and last weekend played a friendly against FC Platinum.

Bosso assistant coach Mark Mathe who has been in charge during both matches has been quoted as saying they were trying out new combinations for the Premier Soccer League season and this weekend would probably be no exception.

“Our preparations are going well and the match against Chapungu is a pre-season preparatory match and we would want to maximise on that,” he said.

“We are going to give the match the same approach that we have done with all the other matches that we have played. We want to shape up the defence and offence. “We want to develop a culture of winning and instill that culture within the players.”

All their new signings who include Joel Ngodzo, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Charles Sibanda, Felix Chindungwe, Njabulo Nyoni, Valentine Ndaba and Mkhululi Dube have had game time. Mahachi scored in their 1-0 win against FC Platinum.

Winners of the Charity tournament will pocket $5 000, runners-up will get $3 000 while $2 000 would be for the losers.