New Highlanders coach Madinda Ndlovu has reiterated that the ZNA Charities Shield semi final against Chicken Inn will be used as a yard stick to measure his side’s preparedness for the new season.

While the organisers of the game are expecting an explosive encounter, Ndlovu told the Chronicle that win or lose, he is using the match to fine tune his youthful side.

“I do not want this to be seen as an excuse but we are rebuilding from the juniors and I will use this match to see how much we have gone into our preparations and will certainly be the good test that we need to gauge the work that we have been doing for the past five weeks,” said Ndlovu.

Chicken Inn coach shared the same sentiments saying he will use the match to try out combinations as well as assess his new acquisitions.

“We will feature new faces in our side and use the game to see how our combinations are turning out. I think it’s a good preparatory match for the two sides but I think it will be competitive because players would certainly be itching to lift their first silverware of the season,” he said.

The ZNA Charities Shield is an annual event organised by the Zimbabwe National Army and all proceeds from the matches go to Charity organisations. The winner of this year’s edition will walk away $12000 rich while the runners-up walk away with $8000.

In the other semi final match up, rivals Dynamos and Capa United lock horns in the fierce Harare derby.