FADING giants Highlanders Football Club will be under pressure to secure maximum points when they meet relegated Chiredzi in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Hartsfield Rugby Ground on Sunday. THANDIWE MOYO SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The former champions have been on a free fall, losing five straight matches in an uncharacteristic poor run of form.
Bosso last secured a point on September 3 and next Monday will mark exactly a month since they drew against Buffaloes at home.
Former coach Kelvin Kaindu took most of the blame for the dip in form, but the elevation of his then assistant Mark Mathe has far failed to stem the string of poor results.
Highlanders need to win their remaining matches to finish in a respectable position. Their last three matches would involve Chiredzi (home), Shabanie Mine (away) and Chapungu (home).
If they win their entire last three matches, Highlanders would finish with 48 points, but will need Caps United, Hwange, FC Platinum and Chicken Inn to lose all their remaining three matches for them to finish the season third.
However, if Bosso lose all their matches and the teams below it on the log win the remaining fixtures, the giants would fall to the lower leagues.
Highlanders need just a point to survive relegation as this would mean that they evade it by goal difference if they lose the last two.
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On the other hand, their opponents on Sunday, Chiredzi, have nothing to lose as there are already relegated.
But Gishon Ntini’s side would want to exit the league having had a hand in felling the former league giants.
Mathe charges have managed one goal and conceded eight in the matches he has been in charge. On Wednesday, Bosso were humiliated by Hwange at the Colliery where they fell 1-3.
Mathe has shuffled his players with every match saying injuries to key players have forced him to use a different squad every week.
Charles Sibanda who featured in their 0-1 loss to Chicken Inn was dropped for the Hwange encounter while Welcome Ndiweni, King Nadolo and Kudzi Machazane, who were in the team against Chicken Inn, did not play in Hwange.
Highlanders, who have not beaten any team twice this season, would be hoping to complete a double against Chiredzi.
Their first encounter saw Bosso winning 3-0 in a match which saw bad boy Sibanda scoring a brace.
Mathe said the creative midfielder could be in the team that will play Chiredzi if he performs well during training.
“It all depends on how he performs during training,” he said. “He is now focused on his work since apologising and if he does well at training he will definitely be in the team.”
Fixtures Tomorrow How Mine FC v Chapungu FC Hartsfield Stadium, Harare City FC v ZPC Kariba FC Rufaro Stadium (SS), FC Platinum v Chicken Inn FC Mandava Stadium
SUNDAY Buffaloes FC v Caps United FC Sakubva Stadium, Triangle United FC v Hwange FC Gibbo Stadium, Highlanders FC v Chiredzi FC Hartsfield Stadium, Dynamos FC v Bantu Rovers FC Rufaro Stadium (SS), Black Rhinos FC v Shabanie Mine FC Rimuka Stadium
