Bosso, How Mine up for city derby

Sport
IT IS derby time in Bulawayo as How Mine and Highlanders clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barboufields Stadium this afternoon. SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER While How Mine and Highlanders will be battling in Bulawayo, Rufaro Stadium will be hosting the derby between Dynamos and Caps United in Harare. How Mine […]

IT IS derby time in Bulawayo as How Mine and Highlanders clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barboufields Stadium this afternoon.

SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER

While How Mine and Highlanders will be battling in Bulawayo, Rufaro Stadium will be hosting the derby between Dynamos and Caps United in Harare.

How Mine stunned Bosso with a 2-1 victory in the first round of the league in May courtesy of goals from Hebert Dick and Nqobile Mpala while Dick also scored an own goal.

Today’s match is likely to be interesting as How Mine would want to complete a double over Bosso while Highlanders will be eager for victory to pile pressure on log leaders Dynamos and second -placed Harare City.

Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu yesterday told Southern Eye Sport that they were ready for the derby.

“Derbies are always very tricky. It is always difficult because we also respect our opponents. We hope for the best in tomorrow’s (today’s) match. Picking up points will be important to us so that we keep pace with the log leaders.”

On the absence of attacking midfielder Milton Ncube, one of 10 players set to miss this weekend’s action on a one-match suspension for accumulating three yellow cards, Kaindu said: “Milton has been very instrumental in our games. But since he is suspended, there is nothing we can do. We hope that the player selected to do duty on that day will do well,” he said.

Kaindu said they had a clean bill of health.

How Mine come into today’s match in the backdrop of players’ unrest as players boycotted training demanding their dues ahead of the derby.

Last month, How Mine coached by Philani “Beefy” Ncube came from behind to beat Chicken Inn 2-1 in another derby making it interesting to see how they will fare against Bosso today.

How Mine also claimed the scalp of defending champions Dynamos with a 1-0 victory at Luveve Stadium in July.

Highlanders are third on the log table with 37 points from 20 games while How Mine are on position eight with 28 points from the same number of games.