HIGHLANDERS midfielders Peter “Rio” Moyo and Hillary Madzivanyika will have to pass a late fitness test for them to be included in the Bosso team that takes on Hwange in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA Sports Reporter
Injuries have plagued Highlanders with Lawson Nkomo, Honest Moyo and Bhekimpilo Ncube set to miss today’s tie against the coal miners, also in dire need of maximum points.
Highlanders will be hard pressed to win today’s match to pile pressure on log leaders Harare City who extended their lead at the top of the log table with a 2-0 victory against FC Platinum at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.
Harare City have collected 37 points from 18 games. Attention will also be on today’s match pitting second-placed defending champions Dynamos against Black Rhinos at Rimuka Stadium.
Bosso are third on the log with 31 points from 17 games while their opponents Hwange are on position 13 with 18 points from the same number of games.
Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu yesterday told Southern Eye Sport that today’s match would be one of the most difficult fixture in the league.
“Hwange is one of the toughest teams to play. When we have beaten them we have done it with a very narrow score,” he said. “When you look at our last game, you would notice that we played well, but our finishing was not that good.
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“We have been working on our finishing week in week out, so we are hoping for an improvement there. “Lawson, Honest and Bhekimpilo will definitely be out of the match through injury.
“However, the doctors are doing everything possible on Peter and Hillary for tomorrow’s (today) match.” Bosso skipper Innocent Mapuranga who lost his brother in a car accident last Sunday is back in camp while the former champions will also welcome left-back Bruce Kangwa who missed the tie against Chicken Inn through suspension. Highlanders collected maximum points when they played Hwange in the Colliery in June courtesy of a Milton Ncube strike while last season Bosso emerged 1-0 winners at home and away. Hwange will be vying for maximum points as they seek to improve their position on the log standings.
Head coach Nation Dube also conceded that the match against Bosso will not be easy. “This is going to be a very tough game. We are not going to Bulawayo to donate points, but at the same time the points we want will not come on a silver platter.
“The match is going to be tough because Highlanders want to win at home, but we need the points as well. “We have not been given an ultimatum to win games, but we need the points.
“We are now playing the second round of the league so we would want to pick up maximum points now,” he said. Hwange will welcome Munyaradzi Mungadze who missed the game against Caps United through suspension while defender David Boriwondo will undergo a late fitness assessment before the match.
Bosso will also miss goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya and Masimba Mambare who were part of the Zimbabwe senior national football team that took part in yesterday’s Cosafa final against Zambia. Hwange defender Eric Chipeta is also with the Warriors. In other matches lined up for today, Buffaloes will take on Triangle at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare while Caps United lock horns with Monomotapa at the National Sports Stadium.