Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE football gods could be smiling at Highlanders, who will play their Chibuku Super Cup semi-final match against Ngezi Platinum Stars at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
Because of broadcasting modalities, the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League has slated the semi-finals for Barbourfields and Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane.
The league’s broadcasting partners SuperSport will beam both semi-finals live, starting with the Harare City and FC Platinum game at Mandava on Saturday before moving to Bulawayo the following day.
For Highlanders, who are in line for a league and cup double, this will be the third time to play before their home crowd in the Chibuku Super Cup.
Highlanders beat Mutare City Rovers 2-1 in the first round and went on to knock out How Mine in the quarter-finals.
Bosso were “away” against How Mine at Barbourfields in that quarter-final encounter, which ended 1-1 after regulation time, before Highlanders went on to win 4-3 on penalties to set a semi-final date with Ngezi Platinum.
Ngezi Platinum’s road to the semi-final saw them eliminating Hwange 3-1 in the first round before clobbering Tsholotsho FC 4-1 in the quarter-finals.
The platinum miners, who have lost twice to Highlanders this season, will be hoping for a change in fortunes to avoid going down for the third time.
Defending champions Harare City will be hoping to get the better of FC Platinum, who beat them 3-1 in the final of the 2014 edition.
City needed penalty shootouts in the quarter-finals against ZPC Kariba to book a place in the last four, while FC Platinum cruised to a 1-0 victory over Triangle United at Gibbo Stadium.
City beat ZPC Kariba 4-2 on penalties after the match had ended 2-2 to book a place in the semi-finals.
Fixtures
Saturday, October 22: Harare City v FC Platinum (Mandava, 3PM, SuperSport)
Sunday, October 23: Ngezi Platinum v Highlanders (Barbourfields, 3PM, SuperSport).
@ZililoR