adminThe match is one of a full league programme over the weekend, with the Midlands soccer lovers enjoying an action-packed weekend as they are playing host to potentially explosive matches too.
Second-placed Shabanie Mine play host to 2010 champions Motor Action, while at Ascot, it will be a derby when league debutants Hardbody welcome last year’s runners-up FC Platinum at Ascot Stadium. Both matches are set for Sunday.
Bulawayo’s Chicken Inn leave the city this morning for a date with Monomotapa at Rufaro Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
Coach Adam Ndlovu knows the kind of opponents they will meet but believes his boys will be up to the task.
“Our confidence is still there despite the defeat to Motor Action last week and the boys are aware of what is at stake. Our preparations went on well and we hope to post a good result. Monomotapa are a good side, very mobile and all we need is to come up with a strategy on how to counter that,” said Ndlovu. He ruled out championship ambitions, deciding instead to stick to their pre-season position of a top eight finish.
“If we land the big one then it will be a big bonus to the Chicken Inn family,” quipped the former Warriors great who cut his football teeth at Highlanders before moving to Europe.
Ndlovu has at his disposal players who can withstand the pressure associated with such matches — goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni, Young Warriors player Kudakwashe Mahachi, defence pillars Guide Goddard, Felix Chindugwe and holding midfielder Danny Phiri. The quartet will indeed be on the lips of many scribes during the Soccer Star of the Year finalists selection process.
For the Highlanders faithfuls, it does not matter how other teams play, as long as Bosso win their matches and that includes the Sunday match against the 2009 league champions. Gunners visit the City of Kings and Queens for the third time this year hoping to write their own piece of history by becoming the first club to bring down Umantengwane. Without doubt, that ambition has been held by all the 17 previous opponents that have met the Kelvin Kaindu army.
The Zambian though, while declaring that his team is doing fine, is wary of the danger posed by Gunners, a team they beat 1-0 in the reverse fixture courtesy of an own goal by Moses Demera.
“A match against Gunners is not an easy one but as Highlanders we take each game as it comes,” said Kaindu.
A man of a few words, who has previously refused to accept that his team is championship material, seems to have had a change of heart and now believes that any team that plays well can and will win the big prize on the domestic football. “We are building a team and a good team will win the championship,” he said.
Gunners’ new technical boss Masimba Mutame, a man who has little Premiership football experience, has bravely declared that his team will stop the Bosso juggernaut. Like his lack of Premiership knowledge, he probably still has full knowledge of a Kaindu-less Highlanders.
Kaindu will once again rely on his usual soldiers and barring any injuries, Ariel Sibanda will be in goal once again with the central defence of skipper Innocent Mapuranga and aerial master Eric Mudzingwa with Bruce Kangwa so brilliant in defence and when overlapping, taking his leftback place while any of the trio of Atlast Musasa, Bruce Tshuma and Lawson Nkomo can be thrust into the rightback. The position seems to be a pain for Kaindu as no player has been consistent in the area although Musasa has had more game time.
Never mind that he was taken out during the 2-0 defeat of Caps United last Sunday as that was more technical than anything, midfield general Mthulisi Maphosa is set to be in front of the defenders directing operations.
Peter Rio Moyo, always a marvel when in possession but still lacking that extra stamina, will be the man to dismantle the Gunners’ engineroom with wingmaster Masimba Mambare expected to bring in those telling crosses especially from the right flank while second top goalscorer in the country with nine goals Milton Ncube can operate from the left flank.
Chief striker Graham Ncube suffered a strange injury just before departure for Harare last week but will be fit enough to take his place in the strikeforce in an offensive set up that could see big Bhekimpilo Ncube playing just behind him.
For the visitors, Valentine Ndaba, who scored last weekend against Hwange, will be the player to watch so would be Blessing Sande and skipper Pardon Chinungwa.
Other players that could leave a dark cloud at Barbourfields Stadium are Ishmael Lawe and Willard Gondo.
Fixtures
Saturday: Monomotapa v Chicken Inn (Rufaro), Black Mambas v Caps United (Morris Depot)
Sunday: Dynamos v Quelaton (Rufaro), Highlanders v Gunners (B/F), Hwange v Harare City (Colliery), Hardbody v FC Platinum (Ascot), Buffaloes v Blue Rangers, Shabanie Mine v Motor Action (Maglas)
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