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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter 

THE Bulawayo derby pitting Highlanders and city rivals Chicken Inn set for Barbourfields Stadium will kick-off at 3PM this afternoon after attempts by Bosso to have the game played under floodlights failed.

The Bulawayo giants last week wrote to the Premier Soccer League requesting to play the game at night. 

With the fixture being a mid-week game, Bosso were keen to attract a bigger crowd in the evening compared to the mid afternoon kick-off on a working day. 

The PSL gave Bosso the greenlight to play the game as a late kick-off provided a number of conditions were met. 

Terms given to Bosso by the PSL were for them to confirm with the City Council if the floodlights were working and also confirm with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC) that electricity would be provided at the stadium for a minimum of five hours from 1800hrs to 2200hrs.

Indications are that after consultations with ZETDC and the Bulawayo City Council, Bosso were informed that there wasn’t enough apparatus to pull-off a night game at Barbourfields Stadium.

Highlanders’ communications officer Ronald Moyo said: “The status of the game is that it will be played at 3PM. Unfortunately l have not been around and have not been briefed, but what l can confirm is that the game is on at 3PM.”

The much anticipated Bulawayo derby comes at a time when Bosso are enjoying a fine run that saw them knock bitter rivals Dynamos out of the Chibuku Super Cup. Striker Prince Dube is on top of his game and Bosso will be hoping he carries on with the momentum.

Speaking ahead of the game, Highlanders technical manager, Hendrik Pieter de Jongh, said he was anticipating a tough encounter against the GameCocks.

“It is not going to be an easy game since we are playing the log leaders. I have little information about our opponents, but we have a staff meeting about Chicken Inn where members of the technical team will give me more information. I have also done my own research on them on the internet and watched some of their videos,” he said. 

The Bosso coach however, raised concern over the packed fixture schedule which he feels does not give players enough time to fully recover. 

Chicken Inn have lost just twice to Highlanders since they gained promotion in 2011.

They stumbled 1-2 in the first derby on May 25, 2011, and it took Highlanders six years to record their second victory while Chicken Inn have seven wins under their belt, with the other seven encounters ending in stalemates.

Only two of those draws did not produce any goals in the 2012 season while the two sides have managed four 1-1 draws and a single 2-2 stalemate. Chicken Inn have scored 23 goals in the process and Bosso have found the net 15 times. — @innocentskizoe