RELEGATED Chiredzi Football Club say they will not do anyone any favours in their last three Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matches, starting with ailing Highlanders this afternoon at Hartsfield Rugby Ground.
THANDIWE MOYO SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Chiredzi have already been relegated after a dismal performance in the league which has seen them win three, draw six and register 17 losses.
The last time Chiredzi were in town against How Mine, they sang the same song and came up with a 0-0 draw.
Highlanders on the other end are a troubled lot having gone five games without a win and today will mark two months since they last collected a point which has left them in seventh place with 39 points from 27 matches.
Their last point was against Buffaloes when they played a goalless draw at Hartsfield on September 3.
Chiredzi coach Gishon Ntini said they would play their normal football.
“We are coming there to play our normal football,” he said.
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“At the moment we are playing our best football besides the lots of challenges that we have been facing with players and finances.
“We want to make an impact and we do not want anyone to underrate us because if they do it will be at their own peril.
“I have disappointed Highlanders before and we can do it again,” Ntini said making reference to the 4-1 drubbing his then team Shooting Stars handed to Highlanders.
He said How Mine underrated them and they drew 0-0.
“I respect Highlanders,” he said.
“They are a good team and I wish they will rise from the bad place they are in. We do not want to add more misery to them, but they should start playing their normal game.
“Highlanders is a big institution and you cannot talk of big teams without mentioning Highlanders, Caps United and Dynamos. They need to start playing like a big team that they are.”
The visitors will be without some of their key players — Ronald Sengu, David Temwanjira, Brighton Chipula, Scholar Hadebe and Durban Bakali who are injured.
“Even though we are crippled we have a lot of players that can do well for the team. It is a fixture that we need to fulfil,” he said.
Mark Mathe, the Highlanders coach maintained that they would not be complacent.
“We respect Chiredzi,” he said. “They have nothing to lose and if we go with the wrong approach we will not do well. They have a mixture of veterans and young players and this has worked for them and we need not underrate them.”
He said only Gabriel Nyoni had started training with the team and that they were hoping that he would be ready for selection this afternoon.
Rahman Kutsanzira was by yesterday still to pass a late fitness test.
Charles Sibanda, who was last week “forgiven” by his club for behaving badly during their match against Chicken Inn, is likely to feature in the match this afternoon.
Sibanda wrote to his club apologising for his behaviour which the club said they had considered as the midfielder still has the opportunity to increase his goal tally, which has been stagnant at 12 for the last two months.
Gate charges have been reduced to $3 for the rest of the ground while the club has made a passionate appeal to fans to behave as they club has been fines of over $4 000 for crowd disturbances this season.
In an advert in a local paper on Saturday, Highlanders said: “Please refrain from irresponsible behaviour-it is costly to your club.”
