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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
HARTSFIELD Rugby Ground, the venue of today’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash between Highlanders and Chapungu is not a venue with fond memories for Bosso.
It was at this temporary football venue where Highlanders fans, fed up with their team’s pathetic show decided to go wild, with all sorts of missiles raining on the field after Bosso had been beaten 3-1 by ZPC Kariba in September 2014. Bosso players were stuck at the centre of the field for a while at the end of the match as their fans turned against them. Kelvin Kaindu, the then Highlanders coach resigned a few days later.
As Highlanders return to the home of rugby, a move necessitated by the closure of Barbourfields, Luveve and White City, Bosso players who were part of the team then are fully aware of the kind of anger that their fans can show if results elude them.
Highlanders have lost three matches in a row, with the losses coming against ZPC Kariba, Tsholotsho and Ngezi Platinum Stars. Bosso, who headed into this weekend’s fixtures 16 points away from log leaders Chicken Inn, cannot afford another defeat.
Erol Akbay, the Highlanders coach is a man under immense pressure to pick up maximum points. The Dutchman is already being treated with suspicion by the Highlanders fans since he announced he will not be renewing his contract when it expires at the end of the year.
While he is fully aware that the kind of situation that Highlanders are in cannot be allowed to continue for too long, Akbay insists the loss of Prince Dube and Roderick Mutuma heavily affected their rhythm.
“It’s now important for us to beat every opponent, we are going for victory. If you are a big club as Highlanders if you don’t win there is lots of pressure, we lost a lot of key players. I know what the problem is, my head is clear, I’ll try my best that we win,’’ Akbay said.
Highlanders head into today’s fixture without the services of defender Peter Muduhwa who is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards. Skipper Erick Mudzingwa, Nhlanhla Ndlovu and Godfrey Makaruse are all sidelined by injury.
Asked if he still believes that Highlanders can win the championship, Akbay is of the view that anything is possible.
“In football you can only do your best. I am contracted till 31 December. I do my best, everything is possible, nothing is impossible. I don’t know if championship can be won. I still believe in the team. Chapungu, they are tricky, they play compact, it’s very difficult for all the big teams to beat them,’’ he said.
The biggest match of the weekend is at the National Sports Stadium when Caps United meet Dynamos this afternoon. Hwange welcome title aspirants FC Platinum while Shabanie Mine clash with Ngezi Platinum.
Fixtures
Today: Caps United v Dynamos (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders v Chapungu (Hartsfield), Hwange v FC Platinum (Colliery), Shabanie Mine v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Maglas) — @Mdawini_29
Bongani Ndlovu