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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu has admitted that the three losses that the team has suffered during the pre-season are giving him sleepless nights.
Amahlolanyama were beaten 2-1 after a penalty shootout by Chapungu in the CG Msipa Scholarship Fund match, lost 0-2 to bitter rivals Dynamos in the Bob90 Super Cup at Rufaro Stadium in Harare and on Saturday, they fell by two goals without reply to Zvishavane-based side, FC Platinum.
Before the losses, Highlanders, then under Mark Mathe, had beaten Harare City 2-1 in the semi-finals of the Bob90 Super Cup before recording a 1-0 win over FC Platinum in a friendly match at Barbourfields Stadium.
With the Castle Lager Premiership season kicking off this weekend, the statistics might not be very favourable for the Mbada Diamonds Cup holders who were ruthless on the transfer market this season, bringing in eight players.
On paper Highlanders are a formidable force and the line-up should send shivers down the spines of many a team but in reality, the Bulawayo giants have totally failed to live up to their billing so far.
All the hype about the capture of some of the biggest names on the market have fizzled out to nothing with fears the technical team could be found wanting once more after two seasons in which they have finished level on points with Dynamos in the league only to lose the title on goal difference.
Bosso brought on board goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni from Chicken Inn, left back Khumbulani Banda from How Mine, midfielders Welcome Ndiweni, Charles Sibanda and Joel Ngodzo from FC Platinum, Valentine Ndaba from Shabanie Mine, Rahman Kutsanzira from Caps United and Mkhululi Dube from New West City. The combinations are yet to gel and Kaindu should know the pressure that goes with failing to impress from the hard-to-please Bosso fans.
“Time is definitely on our side. The progress that we have made so far has rather been slow as compared to what we are expected to be by now. I am really worried,” said Kaindu.
He, however, was optimistic that the boys would eventually gel and get the right results when the league roars into life.
“We are going to intensify our preparations this week as we seek to find the right formulae. Like I alluded to earlier on, I am concerned about these results never mind that they are more or less friendly matches,” said Kaindu.
“We have not gelled well,” he added.
Highlanders begin their campaign on the road to airmen Chapungu on Sunday before playing host to another Midlands side, Shabanie Mine on Week Two and a week after, they are home to miners Hwange.
Fixtures
Week 1: How Mine v Dynamos, Hwange v Buffaloes, Caps United v ZPC Kariba, Chapungu v Highlanders, Chicken Inn v Harare City, Chiredzi v FC Platinum, Bantu Rovers v Black Rhinos, Shabanie Mine v Triangle
Week 2: How Mine v Bantu Rovers, Buffaloes v Chicken Inn, FC Platinum v Hwange, Harare City v Caps United, Black Rhinos v Chapungu, Triangle v Chiredzi, Dynamos v ZPC Kariba, Highlanders v Shabanie Mine
Week 3: Chapungu v How Mine, Caps United v Buffaloes, Hwange v Triangle, Chicken Inn v FC Platinum, Chiredzi v Highlanders, Bantu Rovers v Dynamos, ZPC Kariba v Harare City, Shabanie Mine v Black Rhinos
Week 4: How Mine v Shabanie Mine, Buffaloes v ZPC Kariba, Highlanders v Hwange, FC Platinum v Caps United, Bantu Rovers v Chapungu, Triangle v Chicken Inn, Black Rhinos v Chiredzi, Dynamos v Harare City
Week 5: Chiredzi v How Mine, Harare City v Buffaloes, Hwange v Black Rhinos, Triangle v Caps United, Dynamos v Chapungu, Chicken Inn v Highlanders, ZPC Kariba v FC Platinum, Shabanie Mine v Bantu Rovers
Week 6: How Mine v Hwange, Dynamos v Buffaloes, Caps United v Highlanders, Chapungu v Shabanie Mine, Black Rhinos v Chicken Inn, Bantu Rovers v Chiredzi, FC Platinum v Harare City, Triangle v ZPC Kariba
Week 7: Chicken Inn v How Mine, Buffaloes v FC Platinum, Hwange v Bantu Rovers, Caps United v Black Rhinos, Chiredzi v Chapungu, Shabanie Mine v Dynamos, Harare City v Triangle, ZPC Kariba v Highlanders
Week 8: How Mine v Caps United, Triangle v Buffaloes, Chapungu v Hwange, Bantu Rovers v Chicken Inn, Shabanie Mine v Chiredzi, Dynamos v FC Platinum, Highlanders v Harare City, Black Rhinos v ZPC Kariba
Week 9: ZPC Kariba v How Mine, Buffaloes v Highlanders, Hwange v Shabanie Mine, Caps United v Bantu Rovers, Chicken Inn v Chapungu, Chiredzi v Dynamos, Black Rhinos v Harare City, Triangle v FC Platinum
Week 10: How Mine v Harare City, Chiredzi v Hwange, Chapungu v Caps United, Shabanie Mine v Chicken Inn, Dynamos v Triangle, Highlanders v FC Platinum, Black Rhinos v Buffaloes, Bantu Rovers v ZPC Kariba
Week 11: Buffaloes v How Mine, Hwange v Dynamos, Caps United v Shabanie Mine, ZPC Kariba v Chapungu, Chicken Inn v Chiredzi, Harare City v Bantu Rovers, Triangle v Highlanders, FC Platinum v Black Rhinos,
Week 12: How Mine v FC Platinum, Bantu Rovers v Buffaloes, Hwange v Chicken Inn, Chiredzi v Caps United, Chapungu v Harare City, Dynamos v Highlanders, Black Rhinos v Triangle, Shabanie Mine v ZPC Kariba
Week 13: Triangle v How Mine, Buffaloes v Chapungu, Caps United v Hwange, Chicken Inn v Dynamos, ZPC Kariba v Chiredzi, Harare City v Shabanie Mine, Highlanders v Black Rhinos, FC Platinum v Bantu Rovers
Week 14: How Mine v Highlanders, Shabanie Mine v Buffaloes, Chiredzi v Harare City, Chicken Inn v Caps United, Chapungu v FC Platinum, Dynamos v Black Rhinos, Hwange v ZPC Kariba, Bantu Rovers v Triangle
Week 15: Black Rhinos v How Mine, Buffaloes v Chiredzi, Harare City v Hwange, Caps United v Dynamos, Triangle v Chapungu, ZPC Kariba v Chicken Inn, Highlanders v Bantu Rovers, FC Platinum v Shabanie Mine
Online Reporter