Kaindu wary of Triangle

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER champions Highlanders FC, wary of their weekend opponents, are hoping to ride on the crest of their away Premiership form when they take on Triangle at Gibbo Stadium on Sunday.Just a point above Hwange and defending champions Dynamos who are tied on 19 points, Bosso will be eager to get maximum points and avoid slipping from the top of the table.

In their opening eight matches, Highlanders, who have gone for seven years without winning the league title, missing it by an inferior goal difference in the last two seasons, have a satisfactory out of Bulawayo record picking up eight points out of a possible 12.

It is their away form that gives coach Kelvin Kaindu a glimmer of hope that they can grab maximum points in Triangle.
In their last road trip, Kaindu’s boys tamed Buffaloes 3-1 in Mutare and before that they played a 1-1 draw with ZPC Kariba.

Highlanders’ last trip to the Lowveld saw them beat Chiredzi FC 3-0 and they would be hoping for a fine outing at Gibbo with Kaindu saying that they would be on an offensive mode.

“As for our approach, we believe in attacking and that is what we will do. We play well away from home and it is our hope that we keep our fine form on the road intact. However, Triangle are no pushovers and they are a team that can surprise you. So as much as we attack, we have to be a little bit cautious in our approach,” he said.

Former Soccer Star of the Year, Charles Sibanda, who seems to have found his feet at Bosso and is the club’s leading goal scorer with four, is one of Kaindu’s trump cards. Just like in the game against FC Platinum, Sibanda is likely to play behind strikers Milton Ncube and Ozias Zibande.

Kaindu is unlikely to make changes to his squad with makeshift right back Simon Munawa expected to put behind the nightmarish afternoon he had against FC Platinum in a defensive line up that will have captain Innocent Mapuranga partnering Dumisani “Fazo” Ndlovu while Bruce Kangwa will occupy the left side.

Hopefully Erick Mudzingwa, who seemed to play for both Highlanders and FC Platinum last Sunday with a number of stray passes due to a “kit clash” according to Kaindu, will not be affected at Gibbo Stadium as the sugar producers use a green and gold uniform at home.

Kudakwashe Mahachi and Knox Mutizwa are likely to start with Mudzingwa in midfield with Welcome Ndiweni, Valentine Ndaba, Cleopas Dube and Gabriel Nyoni being some of the players capable of making a positive impact coming from the bench.

True to Kaindu’s concerns, Triangle, third from the bottom, has the likes of Praise Tonha, Ronald Mudimu, pint-sized attacking midfielder Pasca Manhanga, former Young Warriors’ Ronald Mudimu, William Mapfumo and David Sengu that Highlanders have to look out for.

Teams tend to raise their game when they face Bosso and with Triangle stuck in the murky relegation waters, Highlanders should be on guard.

Another blockbuster tie is on the cards at the Colliery Stadium where Hwange will entertain Dynamos.

In their last visit to the coal-mining town, Dynamos crash-landed suffering a 2-4 defeat having flown to Matabeleland North after being sponsored by BancABC.

Chipangano’s coach Nation Dube remains modest despite his team’s fine run in the first third of the season that sees them being counted among title contenders. He declared his side ready for Dynamos.

“This is just like any other game to us and I think there is nothing special about it. Last time we won 4-2 but in football you cannot rely on history because they (Dynamos) might have gone back to work on their past mistakes. What we want is to play our normal game, attack and make use of ball possession. Obviously being the defending champions I think pressure for maximum points is on them because they are hard pressed to keep their title aspirations on track but what they must know is that we are ready to take them head on,” said Dube.

Meanwhile, tomorrow Chicken Inn takes on struggling Chiredzi FC at Luveve Stadium with FC Platinum playing host to Black Rhinos while ZPC Kariba will be hoping to maintain their unbeaten run when they take on Chapungu.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: ZPC Kariba v Chapungu (Gwanzura, 3PM SS), FC Platinum v Black Rhinos (Mandava), Chicken Inn v Chiredzi FC (Luveve).

Sunday: Caps United v Shabanie Mine (National Sports Stadium, 3PM SS), Hwange v Dynamos (Colliery), Triangle United v Highlanders (Gibbo).

Monday: Harare City v Bantu Rovers (Rufaro, 3PM SS).