adminSenior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS coach Bongani Mafu goes out in search of his first win in pre-season matches when his side meets Zifa Southern Region side Bulawayo City Football Club in a friendly match at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon. Bosso have not managed to record a win in the build-up to the start of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League next month. They went down 2-1 to Black Boots at Fairbridge before they played out successive 1-1 draws against Midlands teams Chapungu and FC Platinum at Barbourfields.
It is expected that Highlanders will field the players who are part of coach Bongani Mafu’s plans for the season. The deadline for the submission of squad lists to the PSL was last Friday and Highlanders are understood to have sent in their final list of 25 senior players with five other slots reserved for Under-19 players.
Bosso were last week boosted by the arrival on a season’s loan of three Bantu Rovers players, Obadiah Tarumbwa, Nqobizitha Masuku and Teenage Hadebe, who are all Highlanders junior products.
Mafu yesterday said the three who started training with the rest of the team last Friday were not up to his fitness standards and he was going to devise a way for them to get in shape before the start of the season.
“The three players started training last Friday, they are not fit, we are working on a programme to get them fit, they are enthusiastic, they seem like they have finally arrived home. It does not mean that Highlanders were lax by letting them go as juniors, maybe if they had stayed at the club they would have not developed into what they are now,’’ said Mafu.
On whether the three will feature this afternoon, Mafu indicated that they are definitely going to play a part in the friendly fixture.
Mafu is not concerned about the lack of a win as the coach pointed out that his goal was to get to know his players better, something that he has managed to achieve.
“No win in pre-season is not a concern, performance is what is key, I have learnt something about my players. We are trying to find out how our players gel with one another, I am happy with this team, I have got almost everything that I aspired to get this season in terms of players,’’ Mafu explained.
Highlanders lost out on signing former Zesco United defender Zimiseleni Moyo who trained with Bosso for most of last week to stay in shape. While the Highlanders technical department was keen on securing the player who plays leftback, Moyo is said to have been snapped up by a Mozambican club.
While the player registration has been completed, Highlanders will only officially inform the players that are being loaned out to other clubs after today’s match.
Bulawayo City, formerly Golden Stars are coached by highly experienced coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube.
Meanwhile, some Highlanders players took time out from the team’s training session to support a National Blood Service Zimbabwe Valentine’s Day initiatve by donating blood. The players who supported the noble cause were Bruce Kangwa, Graciano Chakafana, Julius Daudi, Innocent Mapuranga and Ariel Sibanda. Of the five, only Kangwa, Daudi and Chakafana managed to donate.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo