HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu says they are aware of the danger Monomotapa pose when the two sides clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) match at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow.
SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA
Both teams would want to pick up maximum points after losing their last league matches – Bosso lost 0-1 to Black Mambas while Monomotapa lost 0-3 to Hwange before the break to accommodate national team assignments and the BancABC Sup8r Cup semi-finals.
The tie could be tricky for Highlanders as Monomotapa would want maximum points to move up the log table while Highlanders would also want to win at home.
Monomotapa are on position 12 with 22 points from 19 games while Highlanders are third with 34 points from the same number of games.
Monomotapa would also seek a victory after they were knocked out of the BancABC Sup8r Cup semi-final in a 1-3 loss to FC Platinum at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.
Kaindu yesterday said: “Our preparations for the league match against Monomotapa are progressing well. We lost our last league match due to lack of concentration in a game where we dominated. Monomotapa are a very unpredictable side because they ended our unbeaten run last season. I hope the better team of the day will win.
“The PSL break has been an advantage to us because we have been working hard especially on our finishing,” he said.
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Last season Monomotapa gave Highlanders a 3-0 hiding in Harare to end the Bulawayo giants’ 23-match unbeaten run and also booted the Kaindu-coached side out of the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
Monomotapa coach Biggie Zuze said they were ready for the tie.
“The match against Bosso is going to be very tough. The good thing about us is we always want to play our best football against Highlanders. We lost 2-5 to Highlanders when we played in the reverse leg. The problem that has been haunting us is defending. We acquired a player, Lawrence Mhlanga, who was stabilising our defence, but he suffered a serious injury in the semi-final tie against FC Platinum,” he said.
Zuze said Mhlanga dislocated his ankle, but they would have to soldier on without him.
Zuze said he was confident they could get a good result against Highlanders. “Football is a crazy game and anything can happen. A team that is on top of the log standings can lose to a bottom-placed team. We are trying to motivate the players after Saturday’s loss. We will go into this match as underdogs,” he said.
Zuze said they would still be assessing Ronald Chitiyo and Obey Mwerahari before tomorrow’s game. Kaindu said Mthulisi Maphosa, Hillary Madzivanyika, Gabriel Nyoni and Dumisani Ndlovu had picked up minor knocks, but were still under assessment.
