PREMIERSHIP debutants Dongo Sawmills will be hoping to register their first win in the top flight when they engage troubled Highlanders in a potentially explosive Premier Soccer League match at Vengere Stadium in Rusape tomorrow.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Despite the Rusape-based side collecting two points in their opening five matches of the campaign, they have on numerous occasions showed some flashes of brilliance in all their matches, but a win has remained elusive.
They started the campaign on a strong footing after they drew two-all against FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane. In week two, they lost 2-1 in their own backyard against How Mine. It was the same old story in week three when they suffered a 1-0 defeat against league champions Dynamos.
They went on to suffer a 1-0 defeat to the team of the moment — Triangle — at Vengere before they held ZPC Kariba to a one-all stalemate in their last league match in the capital.
Dongo head coach Shadreck Mugurasave said they were hoping to collect their first set of maximum points, adding that they had addressed their shortcomings of conceding late goals.
‘’We are hoping to collect our first set of three points. We have been conceding late in most matches, but I think it was a minor issue that we have since addressed. We tended to relax during the last minutes of our matches thinking that we had won or drawn,” he said.
‘’It was supposed to be a matter of concentrating until the final whistle. I hope it is going to be a big match. We are preparing for the match as usual. We are enjoying a clean bill of health in our squad and I am urging our fans to come in their numbers.”
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Dongo Sawmills will be banking on skipper Evans Chikwaikwai who has seen it all in local PSL in a career that has saw him win the golden boot award with the now-defunct top-flight league side Njube Sundowns in 2008.
Other players the home side will be banking on are right-back Martin Nyanzira, striker Martin Tapera and defensive midfielder Dereck Chifanzira.
On the other hand, Highlanders are sitting on an unfamiliar position seven on the log standings and coach Bongani Mafu is under pressure after fans made a peaceful march to the side’s club house to register their disapproval following their 1-0 loss against Chapungu in Bulawayo in their last league match.
They have registered two wins against Tsholotsho and Hwange, a draw against Buffaloes and two losses and ZPC Kariba and Chapungu.
By Highlanders’ status in Zimbabwean football, that has been enough to ring some alarm bells in their camp and should they lose again, Mafu’s job will be under serious threat, worse now that club legend Madinda Ndlovu is available after leaving Botswana’s Township Rollers.
