The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS are looking to turn around their dreadful campaign with a win against their biggest rivals, Dynamos when they collide in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
Bosso have only picked up three wins from the 13 matches they have played so far this season and badly need a win over their bitter rivals to spur them in their quest to win their first league championship in close to two decades.
Dynamos
Highlanders have so far only beaten Whawha, Herentals and Yadah while they have been involved in seven stalemates and tasted defeat three times.
It is a match that football fans are looking forward to, the big one when the country’s biggest teams, Highlanders and Dynamos meet.
The two have already met in the Independence Cup final at Barbourfields Stadium in April, a contest Bosso won 1-0 courtesy of a Stanley Ngala goal.
Highlanders coach, Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu is a man under a lot of pressure to deliver.
Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu
Week in, week out, his team blows hot and cold, which has left many wondering if Mpofu is the man who can finally deliver Amahlolanyama’s first championship since 2006 when Bosso son Methembe Ndlovu brought it home.
Last Sunday, fans at the Soweto End were singing “Mandla Kahambe” (Mandla must go) when their team was trailing Bulawayo Chiefs 2-0.
They, however, calmed down when two well executed free kicks by Adrian Silla earned them a 2-2 draw right at the end.
Bill Antonio and Emmanuel Paga
If Mpofu needed any warning signs that the fans were not happy, then he got that last Sunday and he knows that to keep the supporters, who keep coming in their numbers to cheer their team and are expected to turn out in full force today, he just has to deliver three points.
With the way Bosso have played this season, Mpofu conceded that they head into today’s battle as underdogs seeing that their opponents are on top of the log.
“On statistics I think we are underdogs, that’s the truth but every time when we meet Dynamos, history does not make any difference, the most important thing is the team that will work hard on Sunday will get three points, the team that will make mistakes will be punished,’’ Mpofu said.
The Bosso coach is well aware what a win this afternoon can do for this team and is looking to have his troops ready physically and mentally to face Tonderai Ndiraya’s boys.
“My preparation is to ensure that we go into that game 100 percent fit physically and mentally but it’s important as Highlanders to make sure that we get those three points, those are very precious points, they can turn around our fortunes as much as possible,’’ he said.
There is no Silla to save Mpofu’s job this afternoon as the midfielder sits out today’s encounter after accumulating three yellow cards and is therefore suspended.
Nqobizitha Masuku, scorer of five of 15 goals scored by Bosso so far this season could make a return and that will be good news for the home team.
Masuku missed the match against Chiefs last Sunday due to the ankle injury that has bothered him for weeks.
Another player expected back into the Bosso starting lineup is Andrew Tandi whose central defensive pairing with Peter Muduhwa has given Ariel Sibanda good cover at the back with Mbongeni Ndlovu and Andrew Mbeba completing the rearguard.
Barbourfields Stadium
This is the Bosso backline that has to keep an eye on King Nadolo, Emmanuel Paga and Bill Antonio.
In the Independence Cup final, the Bosso rearguard was able to keep out Antonio and Paga but the coming in of the Nadolo makes the work even harder for the defence.
Ngala, Lynoth Chikuhwa and Washington Navaya have been a disappointment in front of goal.
It remains to be seen if they will give the likes of Partson Jaure, Frank Makarati, Godknows Murwira, Brendon Mpofu and Emmanuel Jalai any torrid time.
Shadreck Nyahwa does not have such great memories of his last visit to Emagumeni as he was shown a red card in the Independence Cup final.
The ex-Mzilikazi High School lad is expected to get over that disappointment to pull strings for the Glamour Boys in the middle of the park where he has to contend with Devine Mhindirira who has been one of the few shining lights for Bosso in midfield.
Despite Bosso being 14 points away from the log leading Dynamos, Highlanders still believe that they can win the championship.
A win over Dynamos can reduce that deficit and keep alive hopes of winning that championship, which is realistically impossible but mathematically possible.
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