BY FORTUNE MBELE/COURAGE NYAYA RELEGATION-THREATENED Bulawayo City are cautious ahead of today’s home Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie against Ngezi Platinum Stars at Barbourfields Stadium after the visitors lost their last game to lowly WhaWha at Ascot in Gweru before the break.
Although still wallowing in the relegation zone, Bulawayo City have fared well after coach Farai Tawachera took over from Philani Ncube, with a win and three draws after a dismal start to the season.
Tawachera is careful against Ngezi, who clobbered City 5-0 at Baobab Stadium in the reverse fixture.
“It’s a bit tricky. We are not sure if we are going to continue from where we left with our form, but we hope to do well like any other team and take advantage of the break. We recharged our batteries. Ngezi Platinum are wounded, coming from a defeat by WhaWha and they will come out guns blazing,” he said.
“We know it is not going to be easy against Ngezi, who have a very experienced technical team led by Benjani (Mwaruwari). They have experienced players compared to us, but we will do our best and may the best team win.”
Under Mwaruwari, Ngezi have played eight matches with two wins, four draws and two defeats.
Meanwhile, Black Rhinos head coach Herbert Maruwa said their away match against Bulawayo giants, Highlanders tomorrow at Barbour fields will not be a stroll in the park.
Eight years of relentless trying yielded no joy for Rhinos’ trips to Bulawayo, with Highlanders finishing victorious on seven occasions of the eight matches that were played at Barbourfieds.
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With their last fixture in Bulawayo ending 1-0 in favour of Highlanders, the Black Rhinos gaffer insists playing away to Highlanders is going to be a difficult game.
“It’s not going to be an easy game playing Highlanders away from home and the last time we played in Bulawayo, it ended in a loss,” Maruwa told NewsDay Weekender Sport.
However, the Rhinos coach added that they were ready for the task.
“We are up for the task. We need to go there with the right attitude and play basic football as well all to show intention from the word go,” he said.
The army side, which is currently sixth on the log standings, accumulated 26 points from 17 rounds of matches, while Highlanders, on 10th position, have 23 points from the same number of games.
Both sides head into the second round on a high note, with Highlanders having won their last match to add to the three points they were awarded following the Premier League’s final judgment pertaining their postponed match against Dynamos.
Black Rhinos are basking in confidence despite dropping points to Bulawayo City in their last match and are enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run.
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