Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
Bulawayo football fans have hailed NetOne for bringing the Easycall Cup games to Barbourfields Stadium for the first time since the inception of the tournament in 2011. Fans said the city is home to some of the most passionate football followers in the country yet the mobile operator seemed to consistently turn a blind eye to that fact.

The two semifinals will be played over the weekend of December 5-6 and will feature Caps United against 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn on Saturday before the blockbuster clash between perennial foes Highlanders and Dynamos the following day.

“We give kudos to NetOne for finally listening to our cries as Bulawayo football lovers, we really appreciate as football fans that we will, at last witness a NetOne sponsored cup game from our usual sitting points at Barbourfields,” said Duduzo Sibanda.

He said the decision will not only be beneficial to his favourite team Highlanders but to NetOne and the nation as a whole. A taxi operator, Maxwell Moyo, a staunch DeMbare fan said it was important that football fans in the city also get to watch the NetOne games instead of always travelling to other places.

“Finally we are recognised as a football people as well, we want to express our appreciation to NetOne for that bold move to bring these games here. I can’t wait for the clash (between Bosso and DeMbare), I just can’t wait,” said Moyo.

A city businesswoman and a Zifa honorary member Cecilia Malunga said it was high time that the mobile phone operator brought the games to Bulawayo.

“We were hungry for such games. We hail NetOne and the Premier Soccer League for bringing the games to Bulawayo and I know for certain that both games will be full to capacity,” said Malunga who runs a clothing shop in the city centre.

Her sentiments were echoed by a Caps United fan Shingai Chibha who also predicted that Makepekepe will go all the way to lift the cup regardless of where the final is played. A Highlanders supporter Chankie Dube said he hoped NetOne would also stage the final at Barbourfields Stadium even if both city teams bow out in the semifinals stage.

“It’s certainly a wise decision to bring these games here to Bulawayo and since the league champions are from Bulawayo, it might as well be worth it to bring the final to Emagumeni,” said Dube.

Inaugurated in 2011, the NetOne sponsored cup has never been held in Bulawayo with the first two editions both won by Dynamos at the expense of Motor Action held in Harare before the tournament was shifted to Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane the following year with Chicken Inn, under Mandla Mpofu romping to victory over Caps United.

Last year, the quarterfinals’ edition saw Chicken Inn travelling to Mandava Stadium to face FC Platinum, a game they prevailed before returning to the same venue for the semifinal where they lost to eventual winners Triangle.

Highlanders and How Mine were transported to Ascot Stadium in Gweru for the other quarterfinals while Dynamos played Caps United at the National Sports Stadium. DeMbare was to clash with How Mine at Mandava Stadium in the semifinals with the Glamour boys going through to the final where they lost to Triangle at the National Sports Stadium.

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