When darkness falls: Brito’s rallying cry

THERE are moments when a dark cloud hovers over every football club, casting shadows of doubt and uncertainty. In these trying times, one thing becomes abundantly clear — the unwavering support of the fans is needed more than ever.

Highlanders FC coach, Baltemer Brito, is aware of this truth. He finds himself in the centre of what can only be described as his worst run in charge of the Bosso dugout. Back-to-back defeats to FC Platinum, Chicken Inn, and the abandoned tie against Dynamos last Sunday, have left the club reeling.

This unfortunate string of results has seen Highlanders FC relinquishing their pole position in the league to Ngezi Platinum, just as the title race starts to heat up.

While the dip in form may come as a surprise to some, Brito had previously acknowledged that their position at the top was unexpected.

During the January transfer window, Coach Brito had hoped to bolster his squad but was unable to realise his wishes.

To compound matters, the team has been further depleted by long-term injuries to key players, including central midfielder Darlington Mukuli and utility player Godfrey Makaruse who are out for the rest of the season. Devine Mhindirira has also struggled to regain full fitness.

Highlanders FC’s strength this season had been their defence but recent matches have exposed vulnerabilities in this area, with the team conceding six goals without reply in their last three games.

In the collective memory of the club’s faithful supporters, the path to the elusive league title glory has never been clearer. For much of the season, Highlanders occupied the top spot, igniting hopes that this could finally be their year.

The loyal Bosso fans have stood on this precipice before, experiencing the thrill and heartbreak of title contention. In 2012 and 2013, the Bulawayo giants went toe-to-toe with Dynamos, finishing with the same number of points. On both occasions, they narrowly missed out on the title, losing on goal difference.

“We would like to apologise for the last three games. We wanted too much to win. The players wanted too much to win but this is the moment the fans must show they are really behind the team because being a supporter of a team when you are winning is so easy.

“Now is the time they come and show that they are proud Highlanders supporters. We should show the world that we are together. We would like to see our BF full and we will have a good football match and the boys will do their best to win the match.

“The fans must understand that only together we can achieve good things,” said Brito. The next challenge for Bosso is Yadah FC at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday. Yadah has, however, written to the Premier Soccer League requesting for the fixture to be moved to a neutral venue outside Bulawayo for the safety of players and fans. Yadah suggested that if the match cannot be moved to a neutral venue, it should be played in an empty Barbourfields Stadium.

Asked about the development, Brito said: “This is not for me as a coach to answer but whether we play here or on the moon we will do all we can to win the game.”

Match
day
23
fixtures

Today:

Bulawayo Chiefs v Dynamos (Barbourfields), Cranborne Bullets v Hwange (Nyamhunga), Herentals v Black Rhinos (Mandava), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Green Fuel (Baobab), Manica Diamonds v ZPC Kariba (Gibbo)

Sunday

Highlanders v Yadah (Barbourfields), Triangle v FC Platinum (Gibbo), Caps United v Chicken Inn (Bata), Simba Bhora v Sheasham (Baobab)