The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
WITH coach Erol Akbay now firmly focused on his job after missing two days of training, Highlanders will look to stay up with the leading pack in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League when they clash with Shabanie Mine at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
Akbay skipped two Bosso training sessions last Tuesday and Wednesday with both the coach and the club insisting that he was not feeling well. That saw his assistant Amini Soma-Phiri take charge of the fine tuning. Speculation was rife that Akbay stayed away from the team’s gearing up for the Shabanie Mine fixture in protest over part of his signing on fee that he is owed by Highlanders and his failure to send some money to his family in Netherlands through his local bank.
Highlanders secretary-general, Emmett Ndlovu said from their standpoint what they know is that the coach was not feeling well and they were not aware of any problem save for what he described as minor technicalities which have since been resolved.
The Dutchman returned to work on Thursday and was convinced his absence had not affected his team preparations to tackle Shabanie Mine as the players know what is expected of them.
“We had a little bit of problem which has been resolved, we have to move on, what we have to do is win the match on Sunday, that’s more important. My stomach was not so good. I was not on strike, yes, we had a fight but not for that. It was a financial problem but it has been solved, sometimes you have to fight to get what you agreed,’’ said Akbay.
Shifting to today’s fixture, Akbay said the fact that Shabanie Mine held defending champions Caps United to a goalless draw last Sunday, shows that they cannot be taken likely.
“Actually I don’t know anything on Shabanie, what I know is that they drew against Caps United that means they are not a weak team, they are very strong team, we have to take them very seriously,’’ said Akbay.
Highlanders head into today’s fixture without vice-captain Rahman Kutsanzira who is still sidelined by a knee injury. Besides Kutsanzira, Highlanders still cannot field their foreign strikers, Manuel Obiang Esono Buale of Equatorial Guinea as well as the Democratic Republic duo of Tambwe Kalunga and Yves Ebabali. While Ebabali and Tambwe now have work permits which paves the way for the PSL to issue them with licences this week, Buale has not yet received his reverse international clearance from Equatorial Guinea.
Bosso will once again look to Prince Dube and Rodreck Mutuma to lead the quest for goals with Ralph Matema, Nhlanhla Ndlovu and Gabriel Nyoni being the other options. Skipper Erick Mudzingwa, Allan Gahadzikwa, Simon Munawa as well as Brian Banda were preferred in midfield in the 2-0 victory over Bulawayo City last Sunday and chances are high they will start in the middle again. Peter Muduhwa, Honest Moyo, Benson Phiri alongside Bukhosi Ncube were not breached last Sunday and should be trusted to shield Ariel Sibanda this afternoon.
Wilson Mutekede’s Shabanie Mine have the experience of William Mapfumo, Farai Mupasiri and Dylan Chivandire as they attempt to cause an upset at Emagumeni. They did beat Bosso 2-1 at Maglas the last time the two teams met in 2014 but the odds are against them this afternoon.
Caps United go out in hunt for their first win of the season when they clash with Harare City at the National Sports Stadium, Triangle meet Dynamos at Gibbo while Hwange take on Ngezi Platinum Stars at the Colliery.
— @Mdawini_29
