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Lovemore Dube
SHOULD Highlanders FC go all the way and win the championship, among the heroes will be hard working defender Mbongeni Ndlovu.
He has been in impressive form showing lots of improvement from the left-back role he was employed at last year. Ndlovu has been the dirty work guy with anchormen Melikhaya Ncube and Brighton Manhire which has allowed wingbacks and central defence pillar Peter Muduhwa to do the colourful stuff on the field.
It is his hard work that has earned him the love and respect of his teammates and fans alike. He is keen to follow his elder brother Bekithemba Ndlovu, a former Bosso defender and assistant coach in lifting the league title and parade his medal at his Shashani Village in Matobo District.
The area has had two shining football sons Bekithemba and Albert “Ali” Dube who have served Bosso and football with aplomb.
Ndlovu attributes his consistency and good run of form to discipline.
“Being disciplined on and off the field, working extra hard and listening to what the coaches want from me has been key,” said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu says winning something tangible this season is his target.
“My season target is that I would like to win something with the club and so far so good,” said the defender whose Highlanders sits at the summit of the 2023 Castle Lager Premiership table.
Highlanders begins another onslaught on the domestic scene today when they clash with Bulawayo Chiefs in the first round of the Chibuku Super Cup. Chiefs are the defending champions and it will be another litmus test for the Bosso defence. They come up against the country’s leading goalscorer Obriel Chirinda.
Ndlovu says among the cornerstones of their brilliant run is that most of the players have been together for a while and complement each other well.
He says their toughest match this season was the 1-0 win over Herentals a few weeks ago. The match played at Mandava ended 1-0 in favour of Highlanders and the Bulawayo giants gave as much as they got against a very determined side that was unfortunate not to even grab a point.
Ndlovu says there has not been a single striker who has stood above others to be singled out as having been a menace to fear.
He acknowledges that when he was moved from leftback to the centre last season, he struggled a bit but with coaches showing faith in him, he was able to get into then groove and cement his place alongside defence supremo Peter Muduhwa.
“The secret has been the faith in me shown by the coaches,” said Ndlovu.
He vows to continue putting in extra effort and improving with each match if Bosso is to win things this season and if he is to be considered for the Soccer Star of the Year accolade.
Ndlovu and his colleagues have conceded just four goals this season with 18 league matches played.
The question that stands is for how long will they stay hard to breach and that can selectors ignore members of the Bosso defence forces if they continue with their form?
Online Reporter