The Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals climax this afternoon with the tie of the round as Castle Lager Premier Soccer League leaders Scottland FC host closest rivals Hardrock FC at Rufaro Stadium at 1500hrs.
The heavyweight clash was postponed from the weekend after Scottland were on continental duty in the CAF Champions League preliminary round, where they edged Eswatini champions Nsingizini Hotspurs 1-0 on aggregate.
Beyond a place in the last four, the tie is a litmus test for the title race. Scottland and Hardrock have been locked together at the top of the log all season and remain in contention for a historic treble of league, ZIFA Munhumutapa Cup and Chibuku Super Cup.
Hardrock coach Kelvin Kaindu fears the enforced break may have blunted his side’s momentum after an eight-match unbeaten run.
“We used the weekend to allow some of our boys carrying knocks to recover. But in terms of fitness, having a free weekend is not ideal when you consider the consistency we had shown in the last eight games,” Kaindu said.
The Kwekwe-based miners are already battling an injury list that includes Tinashe Mashaireni, Misheck Ngwenya, Munashe Bamara, Masimba Mambare and goalkeeper Martin Mapisa, who all missed the league draw against TelOne.
For Scottland coach Norman Mapeza, the challenge is managing a congested schedule after guiding his side into the second preliminary round of the Champions League.
“Some of the guys who played today are not going to play in the next game. We have to keep managing the squad, otherwise with such a tight schedule it won’t last,” Mapeza said after the goalless draw in Eswatini.
The winner this afternoon will join CAPS United in the semi-finals after Makepekepe beat ZPC Kariba 4-2 on penalties at Rufaro on Saturday. The Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals are scheduled for 31 October and 1 November, with the final set for 28 November.
