BY SINDISO DUBE
HIGHLANDERS could be going through one of their worst periods in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League so far, but former player Joel Luphahla believes Bosso will soon rise from the ashes again.
Luphahla’s team TelOne is facing the Bulawayo giants on Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium, at a time Highlanders are struggling in the league, where they have not won a match in eight games played in this campaign.
The former Bosso speedy winger is a technical manager at the Gweru-based side, which he guided to league promotion.
“People are reading too many wrong signs in this Highlanders side. The team is not as bad as people are saying. They have a good side which is very competitive. It’s just that they have been unlucky in front of goals and we expect a tough match on Sunday.”
“For anyone who has watched them play, they can tell that Bosso is a good side and should be approached with caution. I watched them play against Chicken Inn and I was impressed by their type of play. They might have lost that match, but I felt they deserved to have come out of the match with something,” he said.
TelOne are going into the match with their confidence high, having upset the league champions FC Platinum 1-0 at the same venue a fortnight ago, before grabbing a point away at Manica Diamonds in Gibbo last weekend.
“The match will be tough. We cannot fool ourselves to think that we will easily grab maximum points from a ‘struggling’ Highlanders side. They are in need of their first set of three points and that makes them a dangerous side. We respect them as a team, but we will work hard and try to continue with our fine run,” said Luphahla.
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The former Zimbabwean international revealed that his players are ready for what he described as a “dream match”.
“The mood in camp is good. Everything is going well and according to plan. The players are motivated. In such games the players don’t need to be motivated, they motivate themselves. Most of them are fresh from the lower division and they have been dreaming of such matches,” he said.
Luphahla is not the only one within the TelOne ranks who will be facing his former paymasters. Striker Tafadzwa Sibanda played for Highlanders last season, and will be returning to Barbourfields Stadium for the first time.
“Sibanda is an inspirational player and on Sunday I know he will be in the same predicament with me. As a Bosso son and facing your parent club is emotional and comes with a lot of pressure, but he understands that he is now a TelOne player,” Luphahla said.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League fixtures
Saturday: Chicken Inn v Black Rhinos (Luveve), Herentals v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium), Yadah v FC Platinum (Rufaro), ZPC Kariba v Manica Diamonds (Nyamhunga)
Sunday: Triangle v Bulawayo Chiefs (Gibbo), Mushowani Stars v Harare City (National Sports Stadium), Hwange v Caps United (Colliery), TelOne v Highlanders (Barbourfields), Dynamos v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Rufaro)
