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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders manager Ernest Maphepha Sibanda believes Bosso players will rise to the occasion when they face old nemesis Dynamos in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

Maphepha said the barren spell that has seen Amahlolanyama go for 360 minutes without a victory after drawing against Nichrut and losing to Chicken Inn, Dynamos (President’s Cup) and Ngezi Platinum will come to an end this Sunday with victory over the Glamour Boys, who are seemingly on the rise after a shaky start to the season.

“We might not have been playing well or won in the last couple of games, but I am more than convinced that the barren run will come to an end on Sunday. An encounter against Dynamos is not an ordinary experience; it evokes some long lost spirits and I believe our boys will make us proud. Dynamos will not score at Emagumeni, igedi ngilalo until further notice,” said Sibanda.

He reminded the players that while it must be “acceptable” to lose to other teams, falling to Dynamos is never an option even though Dynamos themselves know what victory over Highlanders means to their legion of fans.

“To us beating Dynamos is just like winning the championship; it’s the Alpha and Omega of everything. The players, while it is appreciated that some of them are still coming up, must know that Sunday could be their crowning moment and that should be self-motivating on its own,” said Sibanda, the last Highlanders chairman to win the championship in 2006.

He also appealed to supporters to exercise restraint even under any possible provocation and remain fully focused on cheering the boys on.

“Football is an emotional game, that we can’t run away from, but I am appealing to our supporters to remain fully focused on cheering the youngsters from the first whistle and not to allow those who will try to distract us from that mission to succeed. Support is also critical when the chips are seemingly down, that is when we need to lift the team. This is an important game that has all eyes from within and outside the country on it and I challenge everyone to give the world a football spectacle on Sunday,” said Sibanda.

The Harare giants are yet to beat Highlanders in their last six league meetings on the pitch, with their only victory coming courtesy of a boardroom decision that awarded them a 3-0 scoreline following the abandonment of last year’s encounter at Barbourfields due to crowd trouble.

The encounters have ended with three wins for Highlanders, while the other two were drawn, with DeMbare’s only win being via the boardroom.