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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
THE sixth meeting of the country’s football powerhouses Dynamos and Highlanders in 2014 is looming with Zifa courting the two giants to clash during the December 22 Unity Day celebrations.

Dynamos have won all the five 2014 season meetings, handing their perennial rivals defeats in the Bob 90 Cup, back-to-back wins in the league, the TM Challenge Cup and last weekend’s Gushungo Victory Cup.

For Highlanders, meeting Dynamos after a spirited fight in the Gushungo Victory Cup will hand them an opportunity to make up for past losses and give them something to put in their trophy cabinet.

Sources at Zifa said the national football motherbody is in the process of notifying Highlanders and Dynamos about their invitation to participate in the Unity Day Cup which will mark the end of 2014 football year.

“In the last few years we’ve had the Mighty Warriors playing their South African counterparts but this time around we’ve decided to go to our roots and have the two biggest clubs square off in the Unity Day Cup. Sport is a unifying factor and with football being the most followed discipline, fans will unite for one cause on December 22 when Highlanders and Dynamos face off,” said the source.

Having finished on position five on the league table which Dynamos won, Highlanders will also want to make up for their failure to defend the Mbada Diamonds Cup whose new format will see the top four teams Dynamos, ZPC Kariba, Caps United and FC Platinum competing.

Besides their failure to be in the Mbada Diamonds Cup, Highlanders have had a poor season where they were knocked out in the semi-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup won by FC Platinum, CG Msipa Charity Cup, NetOne One Wallet Cup, lost in the first round to How Mine as well as the Independence Cup.

For Dynamos, it will be another opportunity to continue their dominance over Bosso who have over the years turned into DeMbare’s punching bag.

The Zifa communications manager, Xolisani Gwesela, confirmed that they had started planning for the Unity Day Cup which will feature “local teams” who would be announced in due course.

“There’re a few minor things that are pending before we announce the clubs that will compete in this year’s Unity Day Cup. I wouldn’t want to pre-empt who’ll be there but we’re planning a befitting celebration and we’re in the process of communicating with the clubs that have been identified,” said Gwesela.

Among logistical issues that Zifa are finalising are the sponsorship package for the one-off match.