Highlanders’ blunt strike force: Fans call for change

HIGHLANDERS FC fans are growing increasingly discontent with the team’s recent performance. While the team has not been getting positive results lately, the anger has been more focused on the forwards who have struggled to score goals.

It’s understandable that fans are frustrated, as a team is only as good as the number of goals they score. However, it’s unfair to single out Lynoth Chikuhwa for criticism when all the strikers in the side have scored less than three goals. Bosso’s other strikers Calvin Chigonero and Stanley Ngala have two goals apiece, the same as Chikuhwa, while Washington Navaya has scored just once.

Interestingly, the leading goal scorer at Highlanders is holding midfielder Melikhaya Ncube with three goals. This perhaps explains why Coach Baltemar Brito had insisted on acquiring the signature of Obriel Chirinda, who is the leading goal scorer in the league with 11 goals.

Joel Luphahla, the man in charge of training the strikers at Bosso, has since given his take on the team’s struggles in front of goal. It remains to be seen whether Highlanders will be able to turn things around and start scoring more goals.

“At times when you are playing for a team like Highlanders you find yourself under pressure when things are not going well. I think this thing of not scoring goals has been sung a lot out there to an extent that when people talk more about strikers not scoring we as coaches also try to bring a different dimension. If we continue saying things that are being said out there like you guys are not scoring, we will put these guys under pressure,” he said.

Luphahla says they have since changed their approach with the strikers.

“Even the way we train we try to change and work more on the psychology aspect of it. Unfortunately, some of the boys are still young and have never played at this level where the team is chasing for the championship and the pressure gets to them,” said Luphahla.

He admits his players have lost confidence.

“At times we miss chances we are not supposed to be missing but I try and work more on the physiological part of it. We have stopped talking about the chances that they miss, we talk to try and bring more fun so that they relax and enjoy the game. You can see even in the way these boys are playing that they are no longer enjoying football. We are trying to get back to factory settings and we hope to improve from what our last season top-goal-scorer achieved.”

Luphahla is positive the goals will come.

“I have been telling them we can score more goals in the last eight games. We can score three in each game. I’m not saying we will do it but in football, anything is possible. We are just hoping these boys rise to the occasion.

“If the defenders score and we get three points we will be happy because it takes the pressure off the strikers. The only problem is the boys seem to be scared so this is an opportunity to motivate them and tell them football is the same last season and this season even though the pressure is more now that we are chasing the championship,” said Luphahla.

Luphahla and Madinda Ndlovu will lead the Bosso technical team when they face Cranborne Bullets at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday in the absence of Brito who is in the Warriors camp. Highlanders are six points behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum heading into week 27 fixtures this weekend.

The Bulawayo giants suffered a humiliating three-nil defeat at the hands of Simba Bhora at Baobab Stadium last time out. They will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways when they face Cranborne Bullets at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow.

Bosso has only won one game in their last six league outings, in that process, Bosso lost to Chicken Inn, FC Platinum and Simba Bhora.

They drew with Sheasham while they are likely to lose points from their abandoned game against Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium.

Their last victory was over Yadah Stars.

Match day 27 fixtures

Today: Herentals v Yadah (National Sports Stadium), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Chicken Inn (Baobab), Manica Diamonds v Dynamos (Gibbo), Bulawayo Chiefs v Simba Bhora (Luveve), ZPC Kariba v FC Platinum (Nyamhunga), Black Rhinos v GreenFuel (Bata)
Tomorrow: Triangle v Hwange (Gibbo), Highlanders v Cranborne Bullets (Barbourfields), Caps United v Sheasham (National Sports Stadium)
— @innocentskizoe