Makaruse blow for Highlanders

06 Oct, 2024 - 00:10 0 Views
Makaruse blow for Highlanders

Innocent Kurira and Lovemore Dube, Sports Reporters
HIGHLANDERS defender, Godfrey Makaruse has been ruled out of their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash against ZPC Kariba at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon owing to injury.

Makaruse was limping at the end of their 1-0 loss to FC Platinum last weekend and has not regained full fitness ahead of today’s match.

Bosso coach, Kelvin Kaindu said Makaruse will not be part of the team and was coy on details of the nature of the injury he suffered.

“We have Makaruse out for this game. I cannot go into detail with regards to his injury but he won’t make the match day squad tomorrow (today).

This is a disadvantage for us because we have other players injured and two of our other players are yet to join the team after doing duty with the Young Warriors.

“However, we have prepared well for the game. We just hope we carry on from our performances in the last two games. Though we did not win against FC Platinum, the boys really played well in the second half of that game. We want the boys to take that same fighting spirit into the game against ZPC Kariba. They have given us problems before but we should be calm and focused on getting maximum points,” said Kaindu.

Kelvin Kaindu

In the first leg played in May, Bosso had to come from a goal down to salvage a 1-1 draw at Nyamhunga Stadium in Kariba.

Former Highlanders striker, Stanley Ngala had thrust ZPC Kariba into the lead before Bosso’s leading goal-scorer Lynoth Chikuhwa got the equaliser.

Both teams will go into this game on the back of defeats, with ZPC Kariba smarting from a 1-0 loss to Greenfuel and Bosso falling by the same scoreline to FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium.

Highlanders have accumulated 41 points from 28 games, while ZPC Kariba have 34 points from the same number of games.

Judging from the reactions on social media, some fans are likely to boycott the match and opt to be at the clubhouse where they seek to raise money for the club to pay the $6 000 fine they were slapped with by the PSL for crowd trouble in Shamva a fortnight ago.

Instead of attending the Sunday match, the supporters will be at the clubhouse, where they will pay the same money as gate charges to fundraise towards payment of the fine.

The hearing for the matter was held on Wednesday in Harare and the Bulawayo giants are said to have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they stand to lose the match on a 3-0 scoreline and will be banned from playing in the tournament next year, a ruling which cannot be appealed against. Whether the boycott will be a success remains to be seen.

At the Colliery, Hwange face a herculean home task when they face Norman Mapeza’s FC Platinum.

The platinum miners have one of the best-balanced sides, a good coach and great motivation from the sponsors, something lacking in the coalminers.

Hwange under Rodwell Dhlakama have shown signs that they are hungry to stay in the elite division.

Ten days ago they felled CAPS United at Hwange Stadium but a few days put up an atrocious display when drawing with lowly Arenel.

Mathematically, FC Platinum are still in the championship race, while Hwange are so much into the survival equation but need to pick up points in their next four games to survive.

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