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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
Log leaders Highlanders have been dealt a big blow ahead of the much-awaited derby against How Mine after anchorman Erick “Tsiba” Mudzingwa was ruled out due to suspension.Mudzingwa is one of the three elite league players set to miss action this weekend due to suspensions after accumulating three yellow cards. The others are Triangle FC’s Charles Makoto and Chicken Inn’s roving midfielder Brian Juru.
Juru will miss his team’s Saturday match against Caps United at Barbourfields Stadium.
The Castle Lager Premiership’s competitions manager Elisha Mandireva confirmed the trio’s suspension.
“They are the only three players on the suspension list,” said Mandireva.
For Highlanders fans, Mudzingwa’s unavailability will come as bad news. The gangly utility player, one of the club’s longest serving player having graduated from the juniors, has been playing a pivotal role just in front of the central defence of skipper Innocent Mapuranga and Dumisani Fazo Ndlovu.
His absence comes at a time when Bosso are looking for their maiden league win over the gold miners. The miners are coached by one of the most tactically gifted coaches in the land, Philani Beefy Ncube, winner of the Coach of the Year title in 2009 when he was with Njube Sundowns.
Bosso and the gold miners’ first league encounter on May 19 last year ended 2-1 in favour of How Mine with veteran Herbert Dick scoring an own goal and four months later on September 15, the match ended in Highlanders’ agony following a wonder strike by Warren Dube that gave Bosso goalie Munyaradzi Diya no chance at all.
Bosso were to beat the gold miners 3-0 in the Mbada Diamonds Cup final.
With How Mine deploying two anchormen in former Bosso players Gilbert Banda and Mernard Mupera, Highlanders would have to be at their best in that department and that might mean coach Kelvin Kaindu throwing in the skillful Welcome Ndiweni and enterprising Mthulisi Maphosa who is returning from injury.
Fixtures
Today: Hwange v ZPC (Kariba) (Colliery) SS9
Saturday: Chicken Inn v Caps United (Luveve) SS9, Chiredzi v Harare City (Chishamiso), Chapungu v FC Platinum (Ascot),
Sunday: How Mine v Highlanders (Barbourfields) SS9, Shabanie Mine v Buffaloes (Maglas), Dynamos v Black Rhinos (National Sports Stadium)
Highlanders and How Mine encounters in figures
Head to head
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Highlanders 1-2 How Mine
Sunday, September 15, 2013
How Mine 1-0 Highlanders
Last five matches form
Highlanders: W D D L W
How Mine: D D W D L
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