HIGHLANDERS’ striker Knox Mutizwa will feature in his last match for the Bulawayo giants as they host ZPC Kariba on Sunday before leaving to join South African Premier Soccer League club Bidvest Wits for pre-season preparations ahead of the start of the South Africa’s 2016-2017 Absa Premiership season.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
Mutizwa, last year’s Castle Lager PSL Golden Boot Award winner with 14 goals, has scored four goals for Bosso this year.
On Wednesday, he provided the assist for Bruce Kangwa, who scored his sixth goal in 10 matches as Highlanders beat Border Strikers at Barbourfields Stadium.
In a post-match interview, coach Erol Akbay confirmed that Sunday would see Mutizwa bid farewell to his teammates and fans.
“I think Sunday will be his last game and he goes,” he said.
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Mutizwa’s manager Gibson Mahachi also confirmed the 22-year-old striker was finally on his way out.
“He (Mutizwa) will be playing his last game on Sunday, but I cannot say for now when he will be leaving for South Africa. We are still making travelling arrangements with the club (Bidvest Wits). But what I can confirm is that Sunday is definitely his last game,” he said.
With Mutizwa’s departure and veteran striker Ralph Matema on the sidelines due to a nagging knee injury, Highlanders have already made contingency plans by recalling striker Nhlanhla Ndlovu, who has made waves in Southern Region Soccer League, leading the scorers’ chart with eight goals in 10 matches for Victoria Falls-based Amagagasi.
Ndlovu (23), whose contract with Bosso was due to end next Thursday, has penned another two-year deal with Highlanders after impressing Akbay during assessment last week.
He had been loaned to Trumus Warriors in Division One before moving to Amagagasi.
The striker is set to be registered when the mid-season transfer window opens and joins a number of young players in the Highlanders’ squad that include Prince Dube, Brian Banda, Adrian Silla, Benson Phiri, Bukhosi Ncube and Peter Muduhwa.
Muduhwa, Banda, Dube, Silla and Ncube all featured against Border Strikers on Wednesday and Akbay said he will not hesitate to play the young players.
“I am not afraid to play these youngsters. My philosophy is that if you have new talent in the team, let them play football,” Akbay said.
Highlanders will be looking for another win when they take on Sunday Chidzambwa’s ZPC Kariba as they continue their title push.
They currently lead Caps United and ZPC Kariba by two points.