Zimbabwe's much-awaited biggest Castle Lager Premier Soccer League fixture pitting Highlanders and Dynamos will finally take place at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
The rescheduled Match Day 21 encounter was postponed twice; first on July 29 due to the harmonised elections and on August 5 when the two sides contested in the President Emmerson Mnangagwa Inauguration Cup.
With other PSL games postponed, the Highlanders and Dynamos clash is likely to draw a near full house, with both sets of fans and neutrals coming to witness the two giants.
Highlanders, who are winless in three consecutive league matches, head into Sunday’s game smarting from a 1-2 home defeat by Ngezi Platinum Stars, while Dynamos are bubbling with confidence following a 2-1 win over Bulawayo City at Barbourfields Stadium.
It is against this background that Dynamos will want to build from their last victory at Barbourfields and take the game to Highlanders, who are hard-pressed for a win to calm their supporters’ nerves.
Highlanders will be hoping to replicate their first leg performance when they beat Dynamos 1-0 at Rufaro Stadium.
Highlanders coach, MadindaNdlovu, will be hoping that his charges wake up from their slumber and turn the heat on Dynamos.
Usually such big games tend to be self-motivating for players and both sets of footballers will probably give their best during this week’s training sessions to be considered for the teams that will play the biggest game in the land.
Never mind that Highlanders and Dynamos are out of the championship race in sixth and 12th positions respectively on the table, the clash of the giants brings the best in terms of entertainment.
Both camps will be hoping the match is played to the end without ugly scenes like the ones that rocked last season’s encounter at Barbourfields that was abandoned after 41 minutes following crowd trouble.
The match did not continue thereafter and the subsequent decision from the PSL disciplinary committee was that Dynamos be awarded the game on a 3-0 score line in terms of their regulations.
Highlanders have indicated that they will increase gate charges for the epic clash, with fans paying $5 for the rest of ground, $10 for the wings and $15 for the VIP section. - Chronicle
