FOLLOWING his abrupt exit from Highlanders last October, Zambian gaffer Kelvin Kaindu returns to Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday to face his former club, another tough test for Bosso’s Bongani Mafu in seven days as the Castle Lager Premiership first half closes.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
The Zambian national is now head coach at title-chasing Lowveld side Triangle, a team he joined for the last five games of the 2014 season and saved them from relegation before being awarded a long-term contract after winning their last three matches of the season.
It’s a tough call for Mafu, who lost his fifth match of the season on Sunday to Highlanders’ perennial foes Dynamos (2-3) in a match that could have ended in a draw, but was marred by an unfortunate incident of poor match officiating, which has seen assistant referee Bongani Gadzikwa being suspended pending investigation by the Zifa Referees Committee.
Bosso dropped one rung down the PSL ladder to position nine with 19 points after that defeat.
Kaindu left Highlanders after the Bulawayo giants lost to ZPC Kariba 1-3 at Hartsfield and the Bulawayo giants went on a downward spiral under caretaker coach Mark Mathe, losing 0-4 to Caps United in Harare, 0-1 to Chicken Inn at Hartsfield, 1-3 to Hwange at the Colliery and only beating Chiredzi FC at Hartsfield and Shabanie Mine at Maglas both matches 2-1, teams who headed for the chop from top flight.
They also beat Chapungu 2-0 in Bulawayo in their last match, ending the season in position five with Kaindu having led Bosso to position two in 2012 and 2013 behind four-time successive champions Dynamos.
Kaindu says he is not sure what the reception will be like when he returns to Barbourfields on Sunday after he was mobbed by a section of Highlanders fans when he came to Bulawayo and played a goalless draw against Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium on May 6.
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“I have been there for a number of times and I am very familiar with Barbourfields. Returning there has got its own emotions and feelings, but I am now at Triangle and we are coming there to play football against giants, who had a good show of themselves in their last game (against Dynamos),” Kaindu said yesterday.
“We are doing fine ourselves, we are on position two. I had a warm reception from some people in May and it shows the appreciation that a section of people have for me. But I don’t know what the reception will be like on Sunday.”
Triangle are on position two with 27 points and it will be Kaindu’s second trip to Bulawayo after Chicken Inn in May.
Barbourfields has not been good for Mafu and his charges this year, but judging by Sunday’s performance against Dynamos, the match promises to be an exciting tie with Mafu on a mission to vindicate himself as the Bulawayo giants’ coach.
Highlanders have only won three times at BF, beating Hwange and WhaWha at home and Tsholotsho away.
Bosso have also lost thrice at Emagumeni to Chapungu, Caps United and Chicken Inn and a win against Triangle will definitely bring back joy to the multitudes of the club’s fans.
