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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
VICTORY number 15!
This is probably what will be in the Highlanders players’ minds when they troop into Ascot Stadium in Gweru for their opening Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter with Chapungu this afternoon.
Non travelling Bulawayo fans though will enjoy a double dosage at Luveve Stadium. Bantu Rovers, who return to the elite league after four years, will start the ball rolling against Black Rhinos before Chicken Inn take to the field to square off against Harare City. Both matches are likely to be closely contested with the Bulawayo sides starting as favourites. Chicken Inn gaffer Joe Antipas said his boys were ready but was wary of Harare City.
The real deal will however, be in Gweru, a city certain to be painted black and white.
Bosso have recorded 14 wins over Chapungu since the turn of the millennium.
Inspired by the arrival of Kelvin Kaindu from Zambia, the zeal to please their multitude of supporters as well as maintaining their proud record over Premiership returnees, Amahlolanyama have already cast aside the four-game pre-season demon and are now fully focused for the job at hand this afternoon.
With Kaindu arriving back in the country yesterday afternoon and quickly getting down to business, Highlanders should not let the favourites tag blind them if they are to maintain their good record. The airmen are obviously determined to start their reunion with the elite league on a high note and are very confident having embarrassed Bosso in the CG Msipa Invitational tournament in which they posted a 2-1 penalty win.
No doubt it will be an uphill task for the John Nyikadzino coached Midlanders but they can overcome.
Bosso enjoy a proud 14 wins, a single draw and a loss over Chapungu in the 16 matches that the two teams have played since the turn of the millennium, in the process drilling the nets 32 times past Chapungu goalkeepers while their own shotstoppers have picked the ball from the nets 11 times.
Four of those times were in a single match when a rampaging Chapungu hammered Highlanders 4-0 at Ascot Stadium on November 10, 2001, their only victory over the Bulawayo giants.
Bosso on the other hand, in 2003, won 4-2 through braces from Chewe Mulenga and Chipo Tsodzo with Tapiwa Kumbuyani and Raphael Mawadza scoring for Chapungu. That year Chapungu was relegated and its second relegation was 2008. It only returned to the elite league this year.
Both teams’ technical brains have expressed confidence over their chances of recording maximum points with Nyikadzino saying the pre-season win over the Bulawayo giants had convinced his boys that Highlanders are not invincible after all. Mark Mathe, the man who has been in charge of Highlanders in the absence of Kaindu was also sure of a good outing.
Meanwhile, Nyikadzino told our Midlands Correspondent that his team was not under pressure as it meets Bosso.
“We respect Highlanders as a big club in Zimbabwe but as Chapungu we are not under any pressure to beat Highlanders. It is them who are under pressure to get a positive result from us as they are a big side and are already being touted as title contenders.
“We are promising them a good game and we are confident of collecting maximum points especially after we beat them during the semi-finals of the CG Msipa Trophy which gives us a huge psychological boost ahead of the match,” he said.
Mathe said to them the match was also about protecting the reputation and legacy of the Highlanders family.
“Highlanders is ready for this and other games, we need to defend the integrity and reputation of this institution and the good thing is that even the boys appreciate this,” said Mathe.
He said they had been working very hard on their shortcomings, especially their failure to convert chances and believes his players have corrected that.
“We know for sure that it’s now the real thing. As has been the norm with Highlanders in previous years, our first game is always a must-win and win we must tomorrow (today),” said Mathe.
At the Colliery Stadium, the Chipangano boys will want to bring smiles to their fans.
The coalminers face Buffaloes, led by the self-proclaimed doctor of football, Luke Masomere.
Head coach Nation Dube declared that his troops were ready for the season and raring to go.
“We can’t wait for Sunday. We believe we have done our part during preparations and now it’s up to the boys to apply it,” said Dube.
He said they were not worried about Masomere’s verbal antics everytime he comes to Hwange. Masomere usually taunts his opponents by declaring that Colliery is his home.
“Those are mere mind games which don’t give us sleepless nights because it’s not him who would be playing,” said the Hwange gaffer.
At Barbourfields Stadium, DeMbare will be without Partson Jaure as they start defending their title against a determined How Mine.
The DeMbare central defender begins this weekend his seven-match ban imposed on him last season after he attempted to box referee Thabani Bamala during his team’s crucial league clash against Highlanders at Barbourfields Stadium.
Having tasted continental football, Philani Beefy Ncube and his boys would want a second bite of the cherry next year and that means starting well. Last year they beat Dynamos twice, once in a league match in Bulawayo before dumping them out of the lucrative Mbada Diamonds Cup.
DeMbare will therefore want to revenge.
A total of 18 goals were scored in the opening day of the season last year, with two games ending in 1-1 and nill all stalemates with four teams keeping clean sheets. Black Rhinos emerged as the highest scorers on the day, winning 3-2 over Monomotapa.
Fixtures:
Today:
Caps United v ZPC Kariba (Gwanzura); Bantu Rovers v Black Rhinos (Luveve, 1300hrs SS9); Chicken Inn v Harare City (Luveve,1530hrsSS9); Chapungu v Highlanders (Ascot)
Tomorrow:
Hwange v Buffaloes (Colliery); How Mine v Dynamos (Barbourfields);SS9; Shabanie Mine v Triangle United (Maglas); Chiredzi v FC Platinum (Gibbo)
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