Ngezi face litmus test

Don Makanyanga

IT might be their 17th game of the season but Ngezi Platinum’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League top-of-the-table showdown with resurgent Highlanders at Baobab Stadium could have a bearing on the championship race.

This could turn out to be arguably the biggest match of the first half of the Premiership marathon.

Highlanders sit on top of the league with 34 points, while Ngezi, who have four points less, are in second place.

Bosso are enjoying their best start to a season in nearly two decades, thanks to a 16-game unbeaten run being orchestrated by Brazilian coach Baltermar Brito.

The Bulawayo giants took advantage of a temporary slump by Ngezi to create some breathing space at the top.

Their impressive run has left their fans believing they could break their 17-year championship drought.

Just like in Bulawayo, the feeling in Mhondoro-Ngezi is that 2023 could be the year Ngezi claims the ultimate prize in domestic football for the first time in their seven-year history in the elite league.

It is the buoyancy, consistency and stability that either side is enjoying that has helped set the tone for a potentially explosive battle that will be beamed live on ZTN Prime.

Brito has already found a way to make Bosso collect points away from home.

He believes his charges can emerge from Baobab with a rare win.

“We are not worried about the log table; what we want is to approach things on a game-by-game basis and collect three points.

“And this game is not, in any way, different. We are going for the three points,” said Brito.

The Brazilian is aware that Bosso have always found life difficult at Baobab.

“(It is a) long way we have come. As we have done in the past, we will try to break that record and collect maximum points on Sunday.”

Youthful coach Takesure Chiragwi wants Ngezi to make full use of home advantage and reduce the gap between the two teams.

“We need to make sure that we do our best on Sunday and take advantage of the fact that we are playing at home.

“Ideally, we do not want to lose a point at home.

“It is not going to be a walk in the park . . . ,” he said.

Chiragwi is also aware that allowing Bosso to open a seven-point lead at the top would put pressure on his young  side.

Ngezi enjoy a decent record over Highlanders at Baobab, having won twice and drawn as many games in their five meetings at the venue.

Highlanders fans would have to go back seven years to recall the only time Bosso triumphed at Baobab.

They comprehensively won 4-1 on a sunny afternoon on May 14, 2016.

“Sometimes we believe history can play a role but personally, I do not believe in it,” said Chiragwi.

“Teams have changed but what we need is to protect our record at home and create our own DNA, where we do not lose points at home.

“Our preparations have been going on well and we had good motivation winning our away game last week (against Cranborne Bullets), which was good for the players to build their confidence, as we head into this fixture.

“And apart from that, playing against Highlanders, who are yet to taste defeat this season, also serves as motivation for the players for them to stand up and be counted against big teams, so this match has more to do with the players than us coaches.”

He has assembled what looks like a formidable side that blends the experience of Qadr Amini and Nelson Chadya, and the exuberance of Gareth Madhake, Marvelous Mukumba, Tinotenda Murasiranwa and Leslie Kastigu.

While much of the attention will be on the top-of-the-table clash between Ngezi and Highlanders, inconsistent Dynamos will be seeking a quick rebound from the 1-0 defeat they were handed by newboys Green Fuel last weekend.

DeMbare will be at Barbourfields this afternoon, where they will host a Yadah outfit that has a reputation of giving them problems.

Glamour Boys coach Herbert Maruwa is hopeful they will avoid a second successive defeat.

“It’s part of the game that you win, draw or lose, but as Dynamos, we have to bounce back.

“Yadah have always been a stubborn opponent for us but this time around, we have to make sure we win.

“At this stage of the season, we have to make sure we go there and get three points,” said Maruwa.

Yadah look set to unleash their recently acquired Brazilian trio of Marques Pedro, Pereira Deivid and Luciano Farias.

Elsewhere, seventh-placed CAPS United face unpredictable Herentals at Mandava Stadium.