PACESETTERS Black Rhinos make their second trip to Bulawayo seeking to consolidate their lead in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League when they face How Mine at Luveve Stadium this afternoon.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
The top-flight league returnees have started the season on a fine note with six wins, two draws and one defeat and leapt to the summit at the weekend when they walloped Hwange 3-0 at the National Sports Stadium.
With Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum, ZPC Kariba and Highlanders nudging on their heels, the soldiers’ coach Stanford Mutizwa says they will try to keep that position but their objective for the season is to fight relegation.
“We are still running away from relegation, but we will try and maintain that position (at the top). How Mine are very a good side. I saw them when they played Chicken Inn and we have to go there well-prepared,” Mutizwa said yesterday. “People might say we are championship material, but we are still not yet there. What we always preach to the boys is to work harder mentally, physically and tactically both offensively and in defence. We are not going to underrate any team, but we just need to work hard.”
James Mukombwe, Milton Kureva and Vincent Nhandu were on target in the 3-0 drubbing of Hwange at the weekend and the army side will be without Wonder Kapinda today after he picked up an injury against the coalminers.
After going five matches without defeat with four straight wins and a draw, How Mine succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to Triangle at Gibbo at the weekend and coach Kelvin Kaindu will be out to return his side to winning ways and put a stop to the army side’s winning streak.
“They (Black Rhinos) have been doing quite well. They are the team of the moment and have been consistent, winning home and away and not conceding goals, but football is played in 90 minutes and for us coming from a loss it was a wake-up call,” Kaindu said.
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The gold miners welcome back Praise Tonha, Pasca Manhanga and Milton Ncube who missed the game against Triangle at the weekend.
Across town at Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo City, who bounced back to winning ways beating Tsholotsho on Saturday in Beitbridge, host Hwange, who are coming from a thumping by Black Rhinos in another away tie in Harare.
