Highlanders coach Bongani Mafu faces a tough task of saving his job when his team takes on table-toppers Chicken Inn in a must win Castle Lager Premier Soccer League derby at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
After losing two consecutive matches, 1-2 to FC Platinum at Barbourfields and 0-1 to relegation-threatened WhaWha at Ascot, the Highlanders leadership gave Mafu an ultimatum to win the Chicken Inn match.
Club chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede confirmed that Mafu had the Chicken Inn match to prove his worth.
“The executive expressed their disappointment at the turn of events that the coach failed to meet his 10-match target and he was given another 10 matches, but things got worse. His performance in the next match is critical because if they fail to get a positive outcome, the executive will be weighing their options on the way forward,” Gumede said.
The log leaders Chicken Inn beat Highlanders 2-1 in the reverse fixture with goals from Canaan Nkomo and Edmore Chirambadare with Simon Munawa grabbing the face saver for Bosso.
Pressure is on Mafu in tomorrow’s game as he has to beat Chicken Inn at all costs without his gunman Knox Mutizwa, who is out on suspension after accumulating three yellow cards.
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“It is going to be a tough match playing the best in the league. We need to do our utmost best,” Mafu said yesterday.
Highlanders welcome back defender Teenage Hadebe who was on trials in South Africa and seasoned goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda who has recovered from an ankle injury.
Chicken Inn are injury-free as they clash with their city rivals Bosso and coach Joey Antipas says it is going to be a difficult game.
Tafadzwa Kutinyu and Passmore Bernard are back on their feet and so is playmaker Clemence Matawu.
“It’s yet another difficult game for us. All the teams that we playing now are difficult assignments and Highlanders are one of them. We just have to get ourselves prepared and ready. It’s a local derby and derbies always produce fireworks. Otherwise the mood is good in camp; we are injury free and need to be back on the road after last week’s defeat,” Antipas said.
Chicken Inn suffered their first defeat at Luveve Stadium last week losing 0-1 to Hwange.
They have in camp on-fire Mitchelle Katsvairo, Chirambadare, Bhekimpilo Ncube and skipper Danny Phiri.
