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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Chibuku Super Cup kicks off with a preliminary double header at Mandava Stadium on Saturday that will see players from other Premier League teams who are not involved having a weekend off.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL)

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

The four teams that were at the bottom of the table when the season reached halfway will kickstart the tournament in a preliminary round, with the two winners joining the 14 other teams for the first round to be played on the weekend of August 20-21.

First to take to the field in a lunchtime fixture on Saturday at Mandava Stadium will be ZPC Kariba and Bulawayo City, followed by the uniformed services faceoff pitting army side Cranborne Bullets against the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services-bankrolled Whawha.

While these sides, who are staring relegation, battle it out on Saturday, teams like Highlanders who have at least five players with knocks — defenders Mbongeni Ndlovu and Crispen Ncube, midfielders Ray Lunga, Muziwakhe Dhlamini and Toto Banda, as well as striker Mthabisi Mabobo Ncube — have time to recover.

The preliminary weekend break also presents teams with a free weekend to recharge and strategise before heading into the last 10 league matches.

Rodwell Dhlakama

The quartet of ZPC Kariba, led by experienced coach Rodwell Dhlakama who was in the final of the 2021 Chibuku Super Cup that was used as a precursor to the return of the PSL after Covid-19 will fancy their chances against City whose focus is on surviving the chop.

FC Platinum needed penalty shootouts to claim the 2021 Chibuku Super Cup at the expense of Ngezi Platinum Stars who were then under the tutelage of Dhlakama.

The match had ended 0-0 after extra time, before FC Platinum went on to win the penalty shootouts 5-3.

Farai Tawachera

This is not to say City will be pushovers against the electricity generators, but their coach Farai Tawachera understands the cup game lottery.

“Cup games are tricky and the team that is lucky, hungrier and takes its chances will succeed.

As much as our focus is on surviving relegation, playing cup games is refreshing and we will go there with a positive mind hoping we do well because we want to,” said Tawachera.

The winner of the ZPC Kariba-Bulawayo City encounter will meet Bulawayo Chiefs in the first round, with the Cranborne-Whawha victor setting a date with Harare giants Dynamos.

The other first round matches will see defending champions FC Platinum taking on Tenax CS FC, while Chicken Inn open their account against Harare City.

The other first round matches will see Manica Diamonds taking on Yadah, Triangle United locking horns with Highlanders, Black Rhinos facing Caps United and Ngezi Platinum Stars playing Herentals. — @ZililoR