The Sunday News
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS’ quest for a top four finish could take a knock after it emerged that the club has scrapped camping for matches played in Bulawayo as well as cut winning bonuses by half.
Sunday News has it on good authority that Highlanders reduced their winning bonuses to US$50 from US$100 sometime back and scrapped bonuses for draws which were pegged at US$50.
Players who spoke to this publication said they were informed that the camp they had before the FC Platinum encounter which they lost 3-2 last Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium was their last for the season. Efforts to get an official comment from the club were unsuccessful as written questions to communications and marketing officer Nozibelo Maphosa were not responded to.
Sakunda Holdings, the club’s main sponsors do not cover winning bonuses and camping costs.
Today, Bosso players head into the derby against Chicken Inn at Barbourfields coming from their homes.
After today’s clash with Chicken Inn, Bosso will be left with four games, two in Bulawayo against Bulawayo Chiefs and ZPC Kariba. The other two encounters will be away to Dynamos and Harare City at the National Sports Stadium.
But with nothing to play for other than pride, the Highlanders management took a bold decision to live within their means, but the question is will the gamble to do away with pre-match camping as well as reducing bonuses work in their quest for a top four finish?
After being pushed out of the top four last weekend by Ngezi Platinum Stars who clobbered ZPC Kariba 3-0, Bosso slipped to position five with 45 points following the defeat to FC Platinum. Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito wants his charges to display strong character and give a good fight in their remaining matches to make it back into the top four.
Hopefully, the players will resist the temptations they might face and stick to their homes, avoid going out before their matches. Last month, Bulawayo Chiefs had three of their players facing allegations of showing up for their away trip to Ngezi allegedly drunk after the team didn’t camp. Chiefs went on to lose that encounter 1-0, with one of the players reportedly vomiting before the match inside the dressing room.
Bosso players watch a match pitting Bulawayo Chiefs and Bulawayo City at Luveve Stadium yesterday
But as Highlanders face Chicken Inn this afternoon, Brito will hope that his players had the best behaviour last night to fight for maximum points. He will want his players who are owed four winning bonuses for the Bulawayo City, Manica Diamonds, Caps United and Triangle United games to direct their energy on the Chicken Inn encounter and deal with their in-house matters later.
It will not be an easy afternoon for Highlanders who will be without suspended pair of central defender Mbongeni Ndlovu and midfielder Darlington Mukuli. There are reports that vice-captain Nqobizitha Masuku’s availability is subject to passing a late fitness test as he missed Thursday’s training session.
Masuku has been a vital cog for Bosso, bringing stability in front of the central defenders and also initiating build-ups for his team while breaking opponents’ attacks.
Highlanders’ Ray Lunga (right) and Crispen Ncube during the team’s training session at Barbourfields Stadium on Friday
Highlanders are hard pressed for a win, having gone for two games without a victory. They have gone for almost a month without a win, with the last set of three points coming on September 11 when they beat Triangle United 2-0. That result was followed by a 1-0 Chibuku Super Cup defeat to Bulawayo Chiefs, a 1-1 draw away at Cranborne Bullets and the defeat to FC Platinum.
Chicken Inn on the other hand will be out to extend their winning run to four games. The second-placed Gamecocks’ three consecutive victories were identical 1-0 scorelines against Manica Diamonds and Whawha as well as the 3-0 against Bulawayo City.
Chicken Inn will bank on last weekend’s double scorer Malvin Gaki and could see the return of their top goal scorer Brian Muza who missed the City win because of injury.
The Gamecocks will look up to Itai Mabunu, Vincent Moyo and either Nelson Ketala or Moses Jackson to keep Bosso strikers Stanley Ngala, Washington Navaya and Lynoth Chikuhwa at bay.
Highlanders will look at playmaker Divine Mhindirira for creativity in midfield and thread through perfect scoring passes to the strikers.
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