Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS coach Mandla Mpofu admits his side needs to urgently improve their away form to compete for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship this season.
Their away record in the 2019 season was awful, as they failed to win a single game outside Bulawayo, losing on five occasions and drawing 10 stalemates.
“We want to improve ourselves from the 2019 season where we were not good enough in terms of picking points away from home. If you want to compete and challenge for the title as we want to do, we need to win away from home and that is what we want to do,” said Mpofu.
“It’s been long since we won the championship. With the resources that we are getting, we want to create a team that will win the championship in the next two years,” he said ahead of their season’s opener against army side Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.
The two sides met in the opening fixture of the last league season in 2019 and the game ended 1-1. Bosso then won the reverse fixture 1-0 at Barbourfields Stadium.
“In as much as a point will be a fair result, we want to go there and collect maximum points. We will not underestimate Black Rhinos, it’s going to be a tough encounter, but the boys are ready and motivated for the game,” said Mpofu.
He also confirmed that only Andrew Mbeba is not in contention following his nasty collision with FC Platinum goalminder Petros Mhari in last Saturday’s Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final defeat.
“Adrian Silla and Andrew Tandi, who have been injured in the last couple of weeks, are back to full fitness and are both in contention to start. In the case of Mbeba, we really need him in the side, but there are things that you cannot control. This is an opportunity for another player.”
Bosso’s scoring rate in the Chibuku Super Cup was far from impressive, but Mpofu is confident his charges will be lethal in front of goal in the league.
“With the players that we have, the goals will come in no time. It’s only a matter of time and we will get the goals. We brought in new players into the system; they are still gelling with the rest of the squad and creating combinations.
“When we start scoring, we will be untouchable. The positive thing is we are creating chances, we have to work on finishing. Creating opportunities and missing them is better than not creating at all. It’s only a matter of confidence and self-belief and they will start scoring,” said Mpofu.
In seven Chibuku Super Cup games, Highlanders only managed to score four goals, three from the strikers and a penalty converted by goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda. — @innoceentskizoe
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