HIGHLANDERS’ skipper Ariel Sibanda is confident that his team will rediscover its form when they host perennial rivals Dynamos in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday. The last time they met in May, the two sides played a goalless draw at Emagumeni.
Sibanda yesterday said playing at BF will not give Highlanders any advantage especially playing Dynamos but called on the multitudes of their fans to throng the venue to rally behind the boys.
“I think it is going to be a good game looking at our form and theirs as well. Our fans are going to play a big part in that game and I want to urge them to come in their numbers. This season they have been coming and our results have been improving. They deserve to be happy on Sunday. No predictions but we will try and get maximum points. This is a derby, whether we play in Mt Darwin or Nyanga, the venue does not matter but the one who wants it most will matter, so we have to go there and fight even though we are playing at Barbourfields. We cannot relax and say we are playing at BF; we didn’t fight enough against Chicken Inn at BF,” Sibanda said.
Steely defender Peter Muduhwa ruled out a defeat in this one.”Starting from Sunday, we have to win everything. We are in this together as players and coaches and the Highlanders fans; we cannot blame each other for anything. It’s not about captains but everyone involved, we know what we want,” he said.
Bosso had gone on a 19-match unbeaten run before losing their last two matches, allowing the chasing pack to close in.
“Everyone knows what we are aiming at and it is near but we don’t want to put ourselves under pressure. What we can promise our fans is that we don’t want to lose to Dynamos and we know they don’t want that as well. So we can’t promise them losing to Dynamos and we are not going to lose,” Muduhwa said.
Coach Baltemar Brito urged supporters from both sides to desist from violence and respect Sakunda Holdings, their sponsors.
“We have the best supporters in the country. They are the people behind the team and support us during the games and they have shown that they can behave well because there has been zero hooliganism and zero problems with our supporters. We have them pushing the team forward. I think supporters from both sides should have a lot of respect for each other, and respect the sponsor that they have in common. We should provide a good game of football for the families and for everyone that will be watching at home,” Brito said.
Dynamos go into this match full of confidence after they picked up seven points from a possible nine from the last three matches.
Source: Bulawayo24
