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Paul Mundandi in ZVISHAVANE and Grace Chingoma in HARARE
THE focus in the domestic Premiership will be on Mandava this weekend when Zvishavane hosts the semi-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup on Saturday and Sunday. ZPC Kariba will date Harare City on Saturday before Chapungu take on Dynamos on Sunday.

Both matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport. PSL chief executive, Kenny Ndebele, said Mandava was ideal for television reasons.

“Where television is involved, it is different as we don’t have 200 people watching but millions of people from across the continent,” said Ndebele. “We have four teams, in one venue, and if there are teams not happy with this arrangement, they would have expressed the concerns to us but we are not in a position where we can please everyone.

“We have our issues with Barbourfields which we cannot disclose.”

Dynamos secretary-general Webster Chikengezha said they were not worried about playing at Mandava.

“We don’t really have a problem with where we would be playing but the problem we only have is that the further we go, the more costly it becomes and that has been taxing for us,” said Chikengezha.

“But we have supporters everywhere we go and the only concern is fatigue. The decision of where we play lies with the sponsors and the league.”

Coach Tonderai Ndiraya expects a tough battle.

“Chapungu are very tough opponents. We are going to be playing away from home. We are preparing hard for them and the match is going to be a tough one,” said the gaffer.

“We are planning for the tie, we will see what we will do and we are working very hard to get a positive result on Sunday.”

Ndiraya needed a dramatic penalty shootout lottery and the brilliance of ‘keeper Tatenda Mukuruva to beat FC Platinum 7-6 in the shootout in the quarter-finals.

Chapungu also needed the penalty shootout lottery to beat Chicken Inn.

Coach John Nyikadzino said they were comfortable playing at any venue in the country.

“We are comfortable playing anywhere since the PSL are spreading football to all corners of the country,” said Nyikadzino.

“We are preparing for the game and so far everything is okay, especially after winning against Buffaloes. The 4-1 victory gives us confidence ahead of the Cup match. We are glad that we have been playing well in our last four matches.

“We are playing the best supported team in Zimbabwe and we know that no matter where they play, they always have big crowds supporting them.

“We are expecting a very tough match but we will try to give it our best shot. Dynamos beat Chicken Inn away when no one expected that result and we are quite aware that they have a good momentum.”

ZPC Kariba coach Sunday Chidzambwa said they are always on the road due to where they are located.

“The only thing we can talk about is the game, we are always travelling and always on the road and it is unbearable and not good for us but we can’t do anything about this because it’s about where we are based,” said the veteran coach. “We are working hard preparing for the game.”

Harare City coach, Taurai Mangwiro, said they were ready to return to the venue where they lost the final last year in controversial circumstances.

“We are ready to play anywhere the sponsors deem fit,” said Mangwiro.

“We have a lifeline given to us as this is an opportunity to play in Africa (inter-club competitions) and we only need two matches to realise that,” he said.

Fixtures:

Saturday: ZPC Kariba FC v Harare City (Mandava, 3pm, SS).

Sunday: Chapungu v Dynamos (Mandava, 3pm, SS).