HARARE City coach Taurai Mangwiro says facing Premiership new boys Tsholotsho Football Club in the season opener this Friday is a more difficult assignment than taking on Dynamos, Caps United or Highlanders.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The Sunshine City Boys, who underwent a footballing metamorphosis which saw a change in both technical and playing personnel, get their campaign rolling with a clash against newcomers Tsholotsho in a season opener at Rufaro on Friday hoping to get off to a good start.
But Mangwiro who came agonisingly close to winning the championship with Caps United last season predicts a difficult match against the premiership new boys and says the assignment was more difficult than facing the Big Three — Dynamos, Highlanders and Caps United.
“Yes, I would want us to get off to a good start. Last season Harare City had to survive relegation on the very last day of the league programme and it emanated from a poor start. We don’t want a repeat of that. I know the biggest challenge we could have is complacency.I have been telling my players that it’s easy to play against Dynamos, Highlanders or Caps United than Tsholotsho because you know what to expect from them. But we are playing an unknown quantity and that is a dangerous team.
“They have an advantage in that they have been together for some time and have blended,” said Mangwiro.
Harare City go into battle without goalkeepers Maxwell Nyamupangedengu, who underwent an operation and is recovering at home while Tatenda Gwademba is in the Young Warriors squad preparing for the All-Africa Games qualifier against Cameroon at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
The Sunshine City Boys will also be without Munyaradzi Diro Nyenye and Tinotenda Kadewera who are also in the Young Warriors squad.
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“Obviously we would have wanted to go into the match with the strongest possible squad, but that should not be an excuse,” said Mangwiro.
