HIGHLANDERS tear-away striker Gabriel Nyoni says he is ready for a return after a nine-week lay-off due to an injury he sustained when the Bulawayo giants hammered Shabanie Mine 4-1 at Barbourfields Stadium (BF) on April 13.
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Nyoni only played 17 minutes in the game against Shabanie Mine. He came in for Charles Sibanda in the 59th minute only to be replaced by Welcome Ndiweni in the 76th after sustaining a dislocated left ankle. It was Highlanders’ second game of the season after they had been held to a goalless draw by Chapungu at Ascot Stadium on April 5.
Nyoni, who has been in plaster, started full training with the rest of the team last week. Yesterday he said he had fully recovered and was hoping to make it into the team that will take on FC Platinum at BF on Sunday.
“I have fully recovered and I started full training last week. I have been training well and I might be part of the team on Sunday, but that will depend on the coaches. I am hopeful that I will make it into the team for the Sunday game after a long time out of action,” Nyoni said.
But Nyoni will face stiff competition from Ozias Zibande who has been scoring important goals for Highlanders and Charles Sibanda who grabbed a brace when Highlanders beat Buffaloes 3-1 in Mutare in their last match, with the third goal — an own goal by defender Liberty Chakoroma — deflecting from Sibanda’s effort. With Kuda Mahachi and Sibanda nursing injuries and still to pass fitness test, Nyoni could be back in the fold against the platinum miners on Sunday.
Bosso are leading the pack with 19 points from nine matches and are yet lose a match as the Premier Soccer League gets into round 10 starting today. FC Platinum head coach Lloyd Mutasa says Sunday’s match would be one of their toughest encounters of the season.
Since coming into the top flight league, FC Platinum have never beaten Bosso at BF in a league match and only claimed their first victory against Highlanders at Emagumeni in a 6-5 penalty shoot-out in the CG Msipa Charity tournament semi-final and a 3-2 victory in the army charities semi-final.
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“This is one of the toughest encounters. Bosso are one of the best teams in the league. They have done well so far and we have so much respect for them. But we want to be able to stand up and be counted. It will be a tough match, but the better team of the day will be victorious. Anything is possible. We have beaten them this year, but this would be a different ball game altogether. I am happy that Charles Sibanda has done well for Highlanders. He is proving his mettle there. It is good for Highlanders that he is playing well. As a former FC Platinum player, we will have a plan for him,” Mutasa said.
FC Platinum have Thabani Kamusoko, Allan Gahadzikwa, Mitchelle Katsvairo, Donald Ngoma, Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube, Tarisai Rukanda, Nelson Maziwisa and Qadr Amin in camp as they seek their first league win at BF.
Platinum are on position nine on the log table with 12 points from three wins, three draws with three defeats. They hammered Triangle 4-0 in their last league match on May 24.
