Uhuru Cup: Government Favours Dynamos, Claims Highlanders Coach
Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito has claimed that the decision to cancel the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) tie against Dynamos at short notice was meant to protect Dynamos who have failed to score in the last two matches.
Earlier this week, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) ordered the PSL to cancel the match that was pencilled for this Saturday to allow the two clubs to participate in the Independence Day Trophy final.
The Independence Day Trophy final will be played at Pfura Stadium in Mount Darwin in Mashonaland Central province on Tuesday next week.
Speaking to NewsDay on Thursday, Brito said Dynamos had less time to prepare for the league match after playing the last match on Easter Monday while Bosso had played theirs three days earlier (on Good Friday).
It is therefore Brito’s view that the “The Battle of Zimbabwe” was cancelled to protect Dynamos who have also experienced a couple of injuries. Said Brito:
About the cancellation of the game, we cannot run way from this subject because; no hard feelings, but this decision was only to protect Dynamos because they are coming from two draws.
They had some players who were not having good moments at all; they have some injuries.
Add to that they had to travel to Bulawayo for that game after playing on Monday, so the week of preparation wasn’t going to be the best for them.
Everyone knows that the decision was not to protect football but to protect Dynamos from this game.
Right now we need to respect that decision and the next game is against them (Dynamos) in a cup match.
But they are staying in Harare, they are fresh; we need to travel.
The cancellation of the league game three days before means that in our week of preparation, there have to be a lot of changes.
Our plan was to play on Saturday and now everything is different.
Again our next game (in the league) is against Yadah, we don’t know whether Friday or Saturday.
We don’t know if we will have to come back to Bulawayo (after the cup final on Tuesday) or if we stay there.
So in terms of preparations, we just hope the football authorities have the same way for both teams because to come back and travel to Harare is not fair.
If one team is protected, the other should be protected as well.
Highlanders said they will field their best team in the Independence Trophy final while Dynamos have four players ruled out due to injuries.
Denver Mukamba, captain Frank Makarati, Donald Mudadi, and reserve goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa will not make the trip to Mt Darwin.
More: Pindula News
