Technical manager Hendrikus Pieter de Jongh welcomes the results of the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals draw that will see the Bulawayo giants facing-off with ZPC Kariba in the weekend of 9-10 November at a venue yet to be announced.
The draw whose results will also see other semi-finalists Ngezi Platinum Stars entertaining the winners between holders Triangle FC and last season finalists Harare City was conducted in Harare on Monday morning.
De Jongh recons the match will be a tough one, but banks on the good mood in the camp as he hopes to lead Bosso to the final of the Chibuku Super Cup for the first time since it was re-launched in 2014.
“Very fair draw – against (ZPC) Kariba. It is now important to know very soon where the match will be played, which place, which stadium for preparation,”
“Kariba is a good team with good players. The last time we played them two weeks ago we drew, which was a good game especially in the second half,”
“It’s not an easy game, Okay! ZPC Kariba are 4th on the log, with the right eye to the top for number one or top two. However, this is a cup game, a cup game is different and it can produce any result,”
“I think we are in a very good mood, the mood is good, the spirit of the players is high and this week we are looking forward to good training, good focus. We will work hard and hope we can go to the final,” said de Jongh.
The Chibuku Trophy ran from 1973 to 1988 before it was re-launched in 2014.
To make their way to the semis, Bosso beat Dynamos 1-0 in the first round of the tournament before dumping out the 2014 winners FC Platinum with a convincing 3-0 quarter-final victory.
Harare City (2015 and 2017), Ngezi Platinum (2016) and Triangle (2017) complete the list of teams that have won the tournament since it was re-launched in 2014.
Bosso beat Mhangura 3-0 in the final of the inaugural Chibuku Cup in 1973 to win the club’s first biggest trophy in its 47 years.
Highlanders who this year made it to the semis for the first time since the cup was re-launched, also won the cup in 1980, 1984, 1985 and 1986.
The last time the Bulawayo giants made it past the quarter-finals of this cup was in 1988, where they made it to the finals and lost 1-2 to eventual champions Zimbabwe Saints.