SUPER FINAL…Bulawayo Chiefs, Herentals in FREE, FINAL weekend!

Fungai Muderere

BULAWAYO Chiefs, yes, the Twitter Kings, take on Herentals, of course, the Students in the 2022 edition of the Chibuku Super Cup final tie, set for Bulawayo’s Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

The two local elite football league “minnows” have enjoyed a fairytale route to Emagumeni.  Chiefs and Herentals have written their own piece of history as this will be their debut appearance in the final of the Chibuku Super Cup. The two outfits needed penalty shootouts to make their way into the final, with Amakhosi Amahle winning their semi-final tie 5-4 against army side Black Rhinos after the game had ended 0-0 in regulation time.

Chibuku Super Cup

After falling 1-0 nil to FC Platinum in the early stages of their semi-final encounter against FC Platinum, Herentals surprised all and sundry when they then went on to get an injury time equaliser before they proceeded to knock out the country’s four-time league champions as the penalty lottery went 4-3 in their favour.

Indeed, it is a local cup knockout tournament that has seen both Chiefs and Herentals take on the mantle of Premier League giant killers in a run that saw the former eliminate Bulawayo giants Highlanders in the quarter-final stage.

Kelvin Madzongwe

The two small fries were rank outsiders at the start of the tournament, thus their successful expedition to the final should be applauded! Both clubs will be hoping to join past winners FC Platinum who won the 2014 and 2021 editions, Harare City (2015 and 2017), Ngezi Platinum Stars (2016) and Triangle who claimed the 2018 crown.

 The only traditional giants to have won the reintroduced cup title are Highlanders who claimed gold in 2019 when they edged Ngezi Platinum Stars courtesy of a Prince Dube priceless and breathtaking strike from outside the box.

Team News

Despite the hullabaloo that has punctuated the Bulawayo Chiefs camp in the past few weeks with players staging mini strikes demanding their dues, a fully-fledged preparation for the final match by Amakhosi was noticed and three of their senior players Kelvin Madzongwe, twins Elvis and Kevin Moyo that boast of Chibuku Super Cup medals that they got when they were still turning out for FC Platinum have vowed to give their “A” game.

FC Platinum

“It will be nice to win it again, this time with Bulawayo Chiefs. As a team we have had a difficult year and winning the final will be a good Christmas present for us. We just want to make it happen for us,” vowed Madzongwe

Projected Starting XI: Muleya, Moyo (Elvis), Moyo (Kevin), Ndlela, Musiywa, Mkolo, Msebe, Chikwende , Veremu, Matare, Phiri

Herentals Team News

The Students are reportedly plotting a heist and everyone is said to be high in spirit and fighting for a starting place.

They have so many influential players whom they recruited at the start of the just concluded PSL campaign which signals how badly to pen their own piece of positive history.  They have not talked of any injury worries

Projected Starting XI: Chigumba, Majarira, Kapumha, Benza (Tino), Mukambi, Zhuwawo, Maliselo, Marowa, Mataranyika, Jim, Chimbetu.

“I’m happy that I have improved. I have had a dream season but we are looking forward to winning the Chibuku Super Cup on Sunday,” said Benza.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League

The Chibuku Super Cup should provide a fitting climax to an enthralling competition. This year we have been treated to shocks and enough drama to satisfy the most demanding football fans.

We expect a hard-fought encounter, in the cheapest Chibuku Super Cup contest in history. The Premier Soccer League announced the prize structure showing fans will pay US$1 for the rest of the ground and US$2 to access the VIP.  The VVIP is strictly by invitation.

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