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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS will have to dig deep to beat old foes Dynamos to prove that their first win over the Harare giants in the reverse fixture that came after a decade of faltering was no fluke.

The country’s two biggest and most followed teams face off in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday with Highlanders’ followers probably optimistic of completing a double over Dynamos. Bosso stunned DeMbare 2-0 at Rufaro Stadium in Harare in May.

Goals by young striker Prince Dube and Bruce Kangwa enabled Bosso to break the 10-year jinx.

Dube sent Bosso fans into delirium in the second half with a perfect rising shot that beat Dynamos and national team goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva at the near post.

His timing to beat the offside and get to the end of a Knox Mutizwa pass was perfect and the lad, whose performances at Bosso earned him a Young Warriors call up, struck the ball with precision on the run.

Dube capped his fine afternoon at Rufaro with an assist for seasoned utility player Bruce Kangwa and his perfect delivery into the box from the right was headed by the latter and the ball deflected off Dynamos’ central defender Sydney Linyama to beat Mukuruva at the near post.

That victory gave hope to the Bosso faithful that this could be their year, but the Bulawayo giants went on to stutter in the second half of the season.

Since that May battle, both sides have gone on to play 14 games, and it is Dynamos who have done reasonably well by amassing 27 points from seven wins, six draws and a shock loss to relegation bound Border Strikers.

In contrast, Highlanders managed six wins, three draws and five defeats to collect 21 points.

Bosso lost 0-2 to Chicken, 1-0 to Caps United, 1-2 to Mutare City Rovers, 1-2 to Triangle United and 0-1 to ZPC Kariba.

Highlanders will go into this Sunday’s game with a bit of confidence after posting two consecutive wins. They beat Border Strikers 2-1 last Sunday following a 2-0 win over How Mine the previous week.

The two victories have charmed Bosso’s Dutch coach Erol Akbay who heaped praises on his charges.

It is actually his strikers’ ability to score that has given Akbay a bit of relief, as Ralph Matema and Nhlanhla Ndlovu were on target against Strikers.

“There were a lot of positives from the Border Strikers game because we created lots of scoring opportunities and I’m also happy with the way my strikers Matema, Ndlovu and Dube played. They positioned themselves well and if they bring that positive attitude into the Dynamos game, I will be happy because I want to win the game,” said Akbay.

His Dynamos counterpart Lloyd Mutasa refused to ride on their superior form over Bosso since the first leg defeat, saying they would work hard to ensure they beat Highlanders in front of their home fans.

“Obviously this is a big game and believe you me, it’s just different from the rest of the matches because of the rivalry that exists between the two teams. As Dynamos, we always prepare to win and we’ve to train well to make sure that we come to Bulawayo and get a positive result for the Dynamos family,” said Mutasa.

Dynamos will be making their last trip of the season to Bulawayo, having already played Chicken Inn, Tsholotsho, Bulawayo City and How Mine.

From their four visits to Bulawayo, DeMbare lost 0-3 to Chicken Inn, beat Tsholotsho and Bulawayo City by identical 1-0 score lines, and drew 0-0 against How Mine.

Highlanders-Dynamos Stats

2001: Highlanders 1-1 Dynamos, Dynamos 0-1 Highlanders
2002: Dynamos 0-0 Highlanders, Highlanders 0-1 Dynamos
2003: Highlanders 0-3 Dynamos, Dynamos 2-0 Highlanders
2004: Highlanders 2-1 Dynamos, Dynamos 0-1 Highlanders
2005: Dynamos 0-0 Highlanders, Highlanders 1-1 Dynamos
2006: Dynamos 0-1 Highlanders, Highlanders 2-1 Dynamos
2007: Highlanders 1-2 Dynamos, Dynamos 0-0 Highlanders
2008: Highlanders 1-1 Dynamos, Dynamos 1-1 Highlanders
2009: Dynamos 4-0 Highlanders, Highlanders 0-1 Dynamos
2010: Dynamos 1-0 Highlanders, Highlanders 0-3 Dynamos (After disciplinary hearing. Match had been abandoned due to crowd violence with Dynamos leading 2-1)
2011: Highlanders 0-0 Dynamos, Dynamos 3-1 Highlanders
2012: Highlanders 1-1 Dynamos, Dynamos 1-1 Highlanders
2013: Dynamos 1-1 Highlanders, Highlanders 0-1 Dynamos
2014: Dynamos 1-0 Highlanders, Highlanders 0-1 Dynamos
2015: Dynamos 3-2 Highlanders, Highlanders 1-1 Dynamos
2016: Dynamos 0-2 Highlanders, Highlanders ?-? Dynamos

P    W    D    L    Pts
Dynamos         31    13    12    6    51
Highlanders    31    6    12    13    30

Premier Soccer League Week 23 Fixtures

Tomorrow: Chicken Inn v Hwange (Luveve)

Friday, September 9: Chapungu v Harare City (Ascot, 3PM, SuperSport)

Saturday, September 10: Ngezi Platinum Stars v Bulawayo City (Baobab), Tsholotsho FC v Border Strikers (Luveve), FC Platinum v How Mine (Mandava, 3PM, SuperSport)

Sunday, September 11: Caps United v Chicken Inn (National Sports Stadium), Hwange v ZPC Kariba (Colliery), Mutare City Rovers v Triangle United (Sakubva), Highlanders v Dynamos (Barbourfields, 3PM, SuperSport)

Table
P     W    D    L    F    A    GD    Pts
FC Platinum        22    12    8    2     25    12    13    44
Caps United        22    12    7    3    29    15    14    43
Highlanders        22    11    5    6    28    16    12    38
Dynamos             22    9    8    5    17    13    4    35
ZPC Kariba         22    9    8    5    19    15    4    35
Harare City         22    9    5    8    24    18    6    32
Bulawayo City    22    8    7    7    19    18    1    31
Triangle United  22    8    6    8    21    24    -3    30
Chicken Inn        21    7    7    7    20    15    5    28
How Mine          22    6    10    6    20    19    1    28
Chapungu          22    6    9    7    19    18    1    27
Ngezi Platinum 22    7    6    9    18    22    -4    27
Hwange              21    7    6    8    18    23    -5    27
*Mutare City     22    5    5    12    17    35    -18    17
Tsholotsho FC   22    4    4    14    16    26    -10    16
Border Strikers  22    4    1    17    9    30    -21    13

*Three points deducted for use of a suspended player.

@ZililoR