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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu is adamant that his team still has a chance to win the championship despite firm indications of potential disaster for the once feared giants. Highlanders lost their fourth match of the season in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League race when they fell 1-0 to How Mine at Barbourfields Stadium through a Warren Dube goal in the second half. Sunday’s result made it four losses for Kaindu’s men.
The gold miners completed a double over their more illustrious opponents as they won the first leg 2-1 at the same venue and it means Highlanders players are yet to score against How Mine as Herbert Dick scored for them in the first leg.
“It’s still a long way to go, nine games to be exact and the other good thing for us is that we are still to play the top two sides,” said Kaindu.
Highlanders have fallen to second half goals in most of their defeats and the former Chipolopolo player has found it hard to make some tactical changes to the team, once his strategy has been countered.
The side now trails leaders and arch rivals Dynamos by four points while second placed Harare City is two points away.
Their defence though is the second best in the league after conceding 18 goals, beaten only by that of log leaders Dynamos who have conceded 11 times in 21 matches.
Despite the defeats, Bosso have the third best scoring figures after Buffaloes and Harare City.
On the defeat on Sunday, Kaindu said it appeared his boys lost hope after the priceless Dube goal and the situation was made even worse when the three substitutes also failed to raise their game.
Njabulo Ncube came in for Mthulisi Maphosa, Heritein Masuku was introduced for Bhekimpilo Ncube while Master Masitara replaced Masimba Mambare.
Save for Masuku, the other two substitutes failed to click with Masitara – registered during the second transfer-window from Nico United in Botswana- holding the ball just three times in 17 minutes of his play.
Masitara was registered with another former Botswana-based player Tinashe Chipunza who has also failed to justify why he should wear the famous black and white stripped jersey.
The release of Graham Ncube who scored four goals in less than 10 starts will probably haunt Highlanders.
The world over new players are expected to immediately make an impact in order to justify their acquisition.
Kaindu also seems to be regretting the move to sign the two players. “They have not really performed to our expectations but I think with time they will find their feet. It’s probably due to the fact they joined us at a time expectations were high for the team to deliver,” said Kaindu.
Nust student Gabriel Nyoni is the only player who has justified his presence at Bosso and on Sunday the coaches probably got it all wrong when they threw him as a lone striker against seasoned and battle hardened veterans Dick and former Bosso skipper Gilbert Banda.
“We noted our weak points and we are going to rectify that during training so that it’s not repeated,” said the Zambian gaffer who went on a 23-match unbeaten run on his maiden season as a coach in Zimbabwe last year but ended the season empty-handed.
Kaindu’s ingenuity on the bench has been really exposed as his charges have managed just eight points out of a possible 24, scoring five goals and conceding six.
As Bosso were dropping points on Sunday, their arch rivals Dynamos did themselves a huge favour by claiming the Harare bragging rights when they completed a double over Caps United whom they beat 1-0 to go two points clear and remain firmly on course to win their third title on the trot.
Another city team, Chicken Inn, whose dressing room is said to be a dormant volcano, bounced back to winning ways with a 2-1 defeat of army side Black Rhinos who are now occupying the fourth and last relegation place.
Sources revealed that all is not well in the Chicken Inn camp following news that some executive members want to bring in former Motor Action coach Joe Antipas to take over from cup winning coach Mandla Mpofu.
The defeat of Black Rhinos helped Hwange move out of the drop zone to 12th place on the standings and raise hopes of another dance with the big boys next year. Chipangano choked a 1-1 draw away to relegation haunted Tripple B while FC Platinum stormed into the top four following a 2-0 home win over Monomotapa.
The Midlands side are now a point behind Highlanders whom they meet at Barbourfields Stadium in their next league match.
Online Reporter