HIGHLANDERS striker Gabriel Nyoni who was injured six weeks ago in the league match against Shabanie Mine has started light training and is likely to feature when they take on FC Platinum in the Zimbabwe National Army Charities Soccer Shield at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday. THANDIWE MOYO SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Nyoni sustained an ankle injury when he came on as a substitute for Charles Sibanda, but did not last in the match and 17 minutes later had to be taken off the field for Welcome Ndiweni.
“Gabriel started light training today (yesterday) together with Rahman Kutsanzira and we are hoping that they might be available for the match,” Bosso head gaffer Kelvin Kaindu said.
He said a number of their players are injured, but they still have other players who will carry the team.
Other injured players at Highlanders include Sibanda, Mthulisi Maphosa, Ozias Zibande and Simon Munawa.
“It is too early in the week to rule all of them out of the match as yet. We also do not want to take the risk and play them and have them out for the rest of the season,” Kaindu said.
The Zambian coach said they were expecting a good match from FC Platinum and were hoping to qualify for the final.
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“The match is a blessing in disguise considering that there are no league matches this weekend. It is going to be a good match. We would, however, like to play well so that we qualify for the final,” Kaindu said.
So far statistics favour Highlanders who have won two of their encounters in pre-season preparatory matches.
Bosso won the first match 1-0 and later beat them 2-0, but Platinum won the Independence Cup semi-final clash 6-5 on penalties.
The Lloyd Mutasa-coached outfit seems to have struck a rich vein of form when it comes to cup games having won two pieces of silverware already.
Platinum beat Chapungu 2-0 to lift the CG Msipa Charity Shield on March 2 and 47 days later they clinched the Independence Trophy beating defending champions Dynamos 3-0 on penalties.
Mutasa said they regrouped yesterday and were still to assess their players especially those who got knocks during Premier League matches.
“At the moment I cannot say much about the players. We have a number that got knocks during league matches and we will only know later today (yesterday) whether they are fit to train or not,” Mutasa said.
Dynamos will play Caps United at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday in the second semi-final.
