Bosso boys have quickly adopted my…PHIRI-OSOPHY

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter—
HIGHLANDERS’ interim coach Amini Soma-Phiri has praised his charges for quickly adapting to his new playing system and philosophy despite going down 0-1 to Harare City on Saturday. Soma-Phiri also assured the impatient Bosso supporters that positive results would soon come judging by the players’ “good” showing in the loss to the Sunshine Boys.

“It’s unfortunate that football is all about goals and winning games. The guys played well and kept possession. We could exchange more than eight straight passes but we were just unlucky on the day,” said Soma-Phiri. He said they needed to work on their defence’s tactical alertness as well as create proper communication lines between the defence and the goalkeepers.

“We let in a simple goal just like in most matches this season, but it’s something that can be corrected. I also noted that when we lose possession, the player who would have been dispossessed doesn’t take the responsibility of being the first person to try and regain possession. “We need to work on that, otherwise the boys have adjusted well to my system. I believe in ball possession and on Saturday I saw that,” said Soma-Phiri.

He pleaded with the fans not to lose hope, saying the boys needed their support more than ever before. “The supporters are an important ingredient for a positive result and I urge them to come on board and give the team the needed morale support, and together we will definitely pull through.

“It’s an open secret that we’re in a very unfamiliar and embarrassing position on the table, very uncharacteristic of such a brand, hence the need to support each other,” Soma-Phiri said. Highlanders take on fellow strugglers Flame Lily at Barbourfields Stadium on Thursday needing nothing short of victory to win back the fans’ support and move away from the relegation zone.

Bosso are likely to be bolstered by the return of the national Under-23 trio of leading marksman Knox Mutizwa, midfielder Nqobizitha Masuku and lanky defender Teenage Hadebe, who were part of Team Zimbabwe at the ongoing African Games in Congo Brazzaville. The Young Warriors bowed out of the premier continental sporting event after losing their opening two Group A matches despite ending their campaign by beating hosts Congo 1-0 on Sunday.

Mutizwa missed the last two league matches but still sits at the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League scorers’ chart with 10 goals, one ahead of Chicken Inn’s Edmore Chirambadare.

Top Goal Scorers after Week 22

10 – Knox Mutizwa (Highlanders)

9 – Edmore Chirambadare (Chicken Inn)

8 – Raphael Manuvire (ZPC Kariba)

7 – Brain Muzondiwa (FC Platinum)

Timothy January (How Mine)

6 – Limited Chikafa (ZPC Kariba) Mitchell Katsvairo (Chicken inn)

Walter Musona (FC Platinum)

Lameck Nhamo (Triangle)

Allen Tavarwisa (Chapungu)

5 – Obrey Chirwa (FC Platinum)

Ronald Chitiyo (Dynamos)