Andrew
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
HE is still far from reaching the standards set by the late Eddie May, but Brazilian gaffer Brito has rekindled belief among the Highlanders faithful that their favourite team can rise again.
May, a British expatriate who coached Bosso after the turn of the millennium, won two straight championships in 2001 and 2002.
He remains the only foreign coach to win the Premier Soccer League title.
Highlanders won their sixth PSL title in 2006 under Methembe Ndlovu.
Since then, championship success has eluded them.
Even a top-four finish has now become quite a huge ask for Highlanders, who last achieved the feat in 2016.
Bosso finished sixth in 2017 and 2019, and fifth in 2018.
However, it looks like their fortunes could change for the better.
Their veteran coach was appointed in June as a replacement for Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu, who was sacked a few weeks after presiding over the reverse fixture of the “Battle of Zimbabwe” against Dynamos on May 15.
That match, however, ended prematurely after crowd trouble and a pitch invasion.
In the ugly scenes that ensued, some DeMbare hooligans also uprooted goalposts and tore the nets.
Highlanders, who were leading 1-0 at the time the match was abandoned, were eventually awarded the match on a 3-0 scoreline.
However, the PSL fined both teams.
Brito seems to have struck the right chord, where Mpofu struggled.
The Brazilian arrives in the capital for his first taste of the “Battle of Zimbabwe” this afternoon.
He is currently walking tall after helping Highlanders rediscover their mojo.
Dynamos host Highlanders in the 54th edition of the epic encounter at the National Sports Stadium.
The match will be beamed live on ZTN Prime at 3 pm.
Brito has transformed Bosso into an exciting outfit that now has a realistic chance of ending a six-year wait for a top-four finish.
He is the second-best coach after FC Platinum’s Norman Mapeza in the second half of the 2021/2022 championship.
Highlanders have amassed 26 points since the beginning of the second half and only trailed FC Platinum (30) at the end of Week 31.
Yet Brito is aware of the enormity of this fixture.
“This (match against Dynamos) is a game between the two biggest cities of the country,” Brito told the media.
“It’s a game between two different teams with different DNAs.”
The Brazilian wants Highlanders supporters to pack the National Sports Stadium and cheer his charges in their quest for a top-four finish.
“The support from the fans is very important.
“The support should not only be there when we are winning, but when we are in difficult situations.”
Although it is being perceived as a low-key battle in some circles, the DeMbare and Bosso faithful will argue that the stakes are always high when their teams clash.
The game also has interesting sub-plots.
It is a match that could seal the fate of certain players insofar as PSL end-of-season awards are concerned.
Divine Mhindirira, who scored Bosso’s 42nd league goal in the 1-0 win over Bulawayo Chiefs last weekend, is one of the favourites to claim a place on the Soccer Star of the Year calendar.
He could further boost his credentials with another top show against Bosso’s biggest rivals.
However, the exciting midfielder is a doubt for the match as he was reportedly still recovering from stomach pains.
Godfrey “Godera” Makaruse has also done well to deserve a place on the calendar.
DeMbare are out to break a five-year-old jinx, as they are yet to beat Highlanders in a league match since May 14, 2017.
Interestingly, with 56 points from 31 matches, Dynamos have already surpassed their season tallies for 2018 and 2019.
DeMbare finished 11th with 42 points in 2018, and ninth with 44 points in 2019.
While Dynamos registered 10 wins in 2018 and nine victories in 2019, they have already garnered 16 wins so far this term.
Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya might have been deemed a failure for not landing the championship title, but the youthful gaffer has done remarkably well in transforming the Harare giants into a competitive outfit.
With 15 goals conceded, Dynamos have the second-best defence in the league after champions FC Platinum.
Centre-back Frank Makarati has been a pillar at the heart of the Dynamos defence.
Online Reporter