BY SPORTS REPORTER
HIGHLANDERS will be hoping that their Independence Trophy win over Dynamos on Thursday will help them kick-start their campaign which has had a rocky start.
A defeat and two draws to start the current campaign had seen rumblings starting to increase on Highlanders coach Madinda Ndlovu, but two goals by Tinashe Makanda and Bukhosi Sibanda in the 2-0 win over their erstwhile enemy on Independence Day provided Bosso with a timely lift.
This afternoon, they host Triangle at Barbourfields Stadium looking to fix their uncharacteristically poor season.
Ndlovu has admitted that their league form has so far not been convincing, but believes the victory over Dynamos will give his boys confidence going forward.
On top of the win, more pleasing for the well-travelled gaffer was the dazzling manner in which his players went about their business at the National Sports Stadium, where their free-flowing passing game puzzled DeMbare.
Ndlovu, however, knows that DeMbare have not been at their best this season, and would not want his team to be carried away by the victory.
Triangle, one of the league contenders, will obviously pose a dissimilar challenge, different from that of the faltering Harare giants.
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Ndlovu is still worried about the fitness levels of his charges, which he has blamed for the poor start to the season in which they have drawn to Black Rhinos, Caps United before a defeat to Harare City in their last match.
“I think we have not got to where we want to be in terms of our fitness levels. We still have to work so hard in trying to make sure that our boys can enjoy this type of football that we played against Dynamos which is our trademark type of football,” he said.
Sibanda, making his debut for Bosso since joining at the start of the year, impressed playing behind Makanda and so was wingers Ray Lunga and Godfrey Makaruse, who the coach praised at the end of the match against Dynamos.
Sibanda delayed his start to life at Highlanders due to an injury, and is likely to start again today.
“We had a lot of creativity upfront. Bukhosi (Sibanda) gave us what we have been missing,” he said.
Triangle will be arriving in Bulawayo looking for a victory to return to winning ways.
The Sugar Boys got off their campaign with a victory over Ngezi Platinum Stars, but were beaten by champions FC Platinum in their second match.
They had to come back from two goals down against Manica Diamonds to force a 2-2 draw last week, a performance that will encourage coach Taurai Mangwiro and his players going into today’s match.
