Bosso hope to turn draws into win against Scottland as Chicken Inn meet Hunters

RUFARO Stadium provides the stage this afternoon for a heavyweight Castle Lager Premier Soccer League contest, with defending champions Scottland squaring up against a Highlanders side still desperate for their first win of the campaign.

There is intrigue wherever you turn. Bosso arrive weighed down by five consecutive draws and a growing sense of impatience, most evident in the final third where promising moves repeatedly go unrewarded.

The chances are there, the patterns are visible, but the decisive touch remains elusive, and it is beginning to gnaw at players and supporters alike.

Benjani Mwaruwari has not shied away from the issue.

“We did well against FC Platinum, we are only missing it in the final third,” he said.

He knows the task ahead will not offer easy solutions.

“It’s not going to be easy against Scottland. We have to keep on working hard to prove more. Everyone wants us to score and we also want to do so, the boys need to be calm in front of goal. I believe that the moment we start scoring we will start getting positive results.”

The statistics paint an uncomfortable picture. Highlanders have not tasted league victory since August last year, when they edged Bikita Minerals 2-1 away from home. Since then, 13 league outings have passed without maximum points, a drought that hangs over every kick-off and grows heavier with each missed opportunity.

Scottland, by contrast, approach the fixture with composure and quiet confidence. Norman Mapeza’s camp projects stability and routine, a team settled into its rhythm and undistracted by external noise.

“Everything is okay on this Easter holiday. We are at work playing TelOne. The games are coming thick and fast. There is no room to mourn. We have no injuries ahead of our game against Highlanders. We have nothing to worry about.”

Elsewhere, attention shifts to Barbourfields Stadium where Chicken Inn host league newcomers FC Hunters in a fixture that promises its own edge.

Despite a challenging encounter against Manica Diamonds, Tonderayi Ndiraya believes his side showed encouraging signs.

“In our game against Manica Diamonds, the boys played very well.

“We were not really ourselves, we played against the distance. I trust my boys, they will improve in the next fixtures,” he said.

Two matches, two very different sets of pressure. Highlanders are hunting for relief and release, Scottland are determined to maintain their grip at the summit, while Chicken Inn seek balance and belief against opponents still finding their footing in top-flight football. The Easter programme offers no pause, only answers waiting to be claimed.