The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
TROUBLED Highlanders go out in search of their second win in the Chibuku Super Cup Group Two when they clash with Bulawayo City at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
Highlanders players, who boycotted training on Thursday as well as Friday demanding that the club make good its promise to review upwards their salaries fine-tuned at a private school yesterday. All is pointing to Bosso fielding a full-strength team when they face Amakhosi this afternoon as they continue their Chibuku Super Cup title defence.
It appeared as if Highlanders would forfeit their match against Bulawayo City, which would have been an embarrassment for such a big club but word from the Bosso camp yesterday was that the boys are firmly focused on their fixture against their city neighbours while the club leadership looks into their grievances.
This means coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu has all the registered players at his disposal except defenders Andrew Mbeba and Andrew Tandi, who are both ruled out on medical grounds. Mbeba and Tandi’s absence will see Mpofu being forced into shuffling his rearguard as was the case in the 0-0 draw against Chicken Inn last Sunday.
Mbongeni Ndlovu, Crispen Ncube, Tandi and debutant Pritchard Mpelele made up the Bosso rearguard against the Gamecocks. Tandi picked up an injury inside the first 20 minutes and was replaced by Charlton Siamalonga, which forced Mpofu to shuffle his defence by moving Ncube to partner Ndlovu in central defence.
Highlanders are second in their group with four points having beaten Bulawayo Chiefs and drawn with Chicken Inn.
Bosso face Amakhosi who have just a point picked up from the draw against Chiefs.
It remains to be seen if the two days of no training, while their opponents were working hard, will have any effect on Highlanders’ performance this afternoon.
At the National Sports Stadium, it is the big one when Caps United clash with Dynamos in the Harare Derby. Both teams were victorious in their midweek fixtures with Caps United seeing off Herentals 2-1 while Dynamos defeated ZPC Kariba 1-0. Before the big guns square off at the National Sports Stadium, Yadah take on ZPC Kariba. At Sakubva Stadium, Cranborne Bullets take on Tenax. — @Mdawini_29.
