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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO City FC coach Farai Tawachera insists his side’s poor league form will not impact his side when they face ZPC Kariba in the Chibuku Super Cup preliminary round at Mandava Stadium on Saturday.

City have lost their last two league games and are third from bottom on the league table with 21 points from 23 games.

Tawachera says all that will not be a factor in Sunday’s encounter.

“We have not done well in our last two games.

It’s a fact we are well aware of but all that does not count in a Cup competition.

It’s all about changing the boys’ mentality and focusing on the cup game.

“In all honesty, cup games are different from league games.

Everything now tends to be new and we have to be focused to get something out of this competition.

The cup games are unpredictable.

We just have to try and get past this stage then we can see the next step that we take,” said Tawachera.

The last time the two sides faced off was in a league encounter at Barbourfields Stadium.

 

The encounter ended 3-0 in favour of City.

“We played these guys at home.

We know each other now.

It’s a neutral venue.

None of us has supporters in that area so it’s a 50-50 affair,” said Tawachera.

First to take to the field in a lunchtime fixture on Saturday at Mandava Stadium will be ZPC Kariba and Bulawayo City.

Then the two uniformed services, army side Cranborne Bullets face off against the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services-bankrolled Whawha.

Traditional giants avoided colliding in the early rounds as the tournament returned to the traditional knock-out format, with the top 14 teams, as of Week 17, automatically qualifying to the first round draw.

The bottom four are set to go through the preliminary round, using match day 17 log standings.

The top eight teams were seeded at the draw and these included holders FC Platinum, Chicken Inn, Dynamos, Manica Diamonds, Triangle, Black Rhinos, Bulawayo Chiefs and last year’s finalists Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Venues for the other knock-out rounds will be announced in due course.

The final is set for November 19.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches have been put on hold to pave way for the eighth edition of the US$375 000 Chibuku Super Cup.

Chibuku Super Cup Draw

Preliminary round (August 6)

Cranborne Bullets v Whawha; ZPC Kariba v Bulawayo City

First Round (August 20-21)

Chicken Inn v Harare City; FC Platinum v Tenax; Dynamos v Cranborne Bullets/Whawha; Manica Diamonds v Yadah; Triangle v Highlanders; Black Rhinos v Caps Utd; Ngezi Platinum v Herentals; Bulawayo Chiefs v ZPC Kariba/Bulawayo City

Quarterfinals: September 17-18

Semi-finals: October 15-16

Final: November 19

— @inncocentskizoe