The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS FC coach Erol Akbay says they are not yet giving up on the Castle Lager Premier soccer League championship despite being four points behind log leaders Caps United.
Bosso suffered a huge dent in their title charge when Tsholotsho brought their seven-match winning streak to a halt with a 2-1 win last Saturday at Barbourfields Stadium.
Speaking during the club’s weekly Press conference on Thursday, Akbay said they would be going out to fight for the remaining six points but admitted their chances are slim.
With two games remaining to wrap up the 2016 title race, Caps United have taken pole position with 57 points while FC Platinum is second placed with 55 points and Bosso is sitting on third position with 53 points.
Bosso have to win both their games and cancel out FC Platinum and hope Caps stumbles if they are to win their first league championship in a decade.
“Our chances are now slimmer following that loss against Tsholotsho but we haven’t given up. We still have to fight for six points and we want to win them at whatever cost and then pray results in other matches go our way.
Our next game is against Platinum and we have to win that one but it will certainly be a tough match,” said the Dutch coach.
Akbay said losing two crucial matches on the trot had hit his team’s confidence but believes they can pick themselves up and are keeping the dream of a title alive.
A fortnight ago the Bosso faithful had been dreaming of a double cup win but a loss to Ngezi Platinum Stars in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals and falling to Tsholotsho in the league left them in a lurch.
Highlanders last won the league in 2006.
“The team is still intact, we still believe despite going through those defeats. We struggled with scoring in both games despite creating chances but I hope this will change in our next match,” said Akbay.
Meanwhile, the Bosso gaffer has praised striker Prince Dube as one of the top talents in the country despite the forward having amassed only five goals so far this season.
Responding to questions from journalists, Akbay said he had consistently given Dube a first team berth not only because of the huge potential he has shown but due to the important role the Bosso juniors product has been playing in the team’s run.
He said people have tended to look at a striker with the one dimensional role of scoring but it was also critical that he should provide assists and ensure his teammates play well, something that Prince has been doing.
“You have to give young players every opportunity to play and I cannot bench Prince because he is not scoring as it would affect him negatively but I have to build his confidence by making him play week in week out. During my playing days if I went without scoring for two weeks and I am removed in the third it brought me down but if I am kept in the game I would improve,” said Akbay.
“While Prince has not been scoring, his play has allowed other players to score and most goals came from his assists, he has generally ensured the team plays well.”
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