Highlanders coach Erol Akbay believes his lack of knowledge of his rivals in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League is working in his favour, ahead of his side’s clash with ZPC Kariba at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow afternoon. BY FORTUNE MBELE
Akbay joined Highlanders at the beginning of the season and was still apprising himself with some of the teams in the top-flight with 10 matches having been played so far.
He has not taken time to find his feet with Highlanders hitting top gear almost instantly.
Following the only defeat in 10 matches against FC Platinum at BF on April 10, Bosso have gone seven matches without losing, playing out only one draw to accompany the six wins they have racked after 12 goals.
The Bulawayo giants have accumulated 23 points and sit at the top of the log with a two-point cushion over nearest rivals Caps United and ZPC Kariba.
After sharing the spoils with Harare City at BF, Highlanders have claimed the scalps of Dynamos (away), How Mine (away) and Border Strikers at home with an identical 2-0 score-line.
Highlanders will stretch their lead at the top with a win tomorrow, but they know that it will be no mean task against Sunday Chidzambwa’s side quietly conducting their business almost unnoticed.
Akbay said that his team will go into the match focusing on their own game and not worried about what ZPC can do.
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“It’s a very important game for us. I have never seen ZPC Kariba. I don’t know how they play their football,” he said.
“All I can say is we will just play our own normal game and try to win. It might be an advantage to me that I don’t know how they play because I won’t be afraid of them. Sometimes if you know that the team you are playing is very good you unnecessarily push your players too much. It’s actually very easy for me to go in there with no knowledge of the opponents,” Akbay said.
Bruce Kangwa, has scored six goals in the last 10 matches having registered his name on the score sheet in the last three matches.
Kangwa scored a brace in the last match against Border Strikers on Wednesday and the spotlight naturally falls on him again on Sunday.
Chidzambwa predicts a tough match against Highlanders.
“It is going to be a tough game against the log-leaders and have been playing very well of late,” he said. “We have a new team and those guys (Highlanders) have been together for a long time and my boys are only beginning to gel. We are taking each game as it comes and as long as we will avoid relegation, we are okay,” Chidzambwa added.
ZPC Kariba troops to BF with former Kaizer Chiefs defender Lincoln Zvasiya, Tawanda Munyanduri and Godknows Mangani.
They will be banking on forwards Limited Chikafa and Tinei Chitora for penetration up-front.
Grit has been the hallmark of their game so far this season. They almost stole a win against Caps United in Harare before they settled for a draw, but they became the first team to beat FC Platinum, a development that has earned them more respect from the football fraternity.
Meanwhile, Chicken Inn skipper Danny Phiri will miss his side’s clash against Tsholothso this afternoon.
“I was pulled out of the Madagascar game in the second half with an ankle injury. I was asked for a break which was granted so I will not be playing tomorrow. I wish the team all the best against Tsholotsho,” Phiri said.
The champions have lost four matches out of eight with three wins and a draw, sitting on position 11 on the log-table with 10 points and two games in hand.
Tsholotsho are also hanging precariously on the table on position 14 with eight points after two wins and two draws suffering six defeats.
Coach Lizwe Sweswe is confident of posting positive results against Chicken Inn today.
“We have not been playing well of late and there are many factors affecting our boys including the change of the team’s ownership but that will pass. This is a game where we need to collect maximum points, we have been working on the psychology of the players and I think we have prepared well,” Sweswe said.
Fixtures
Today: Ngezi Platinum v Border Strikers (Baobab), Harare City v Dynamos (Rufaro), Tsholotsho v Chicken Inn (White City), FC Platinum v Triangle (Mandava SS9)
Tomorrow: Caps United v Bulawayo City (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders v ZPC Kariba (Barbourfields SS9), Hwange v Mutare City Rovers (Colliery)
