HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu remains level-headed and is not fooled by champions Ngezi Platinum Stars' bad start to the season ahead of today's Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clash at Baobab Stadium.
Kaindu has told his charges to remain focused and guard against complacency going into their sixth match of the season.
They sit top of the table after four wins and a draw with 13 points.
The Zambian national said Ngezi will not be a walk in the park and it is just bad luck that they have started the season slowly.
“It’s tricky, they are the defending champions. Yes, they have not started well but they have got the pedigree, they have got resources that they need for them to probably defend the championship. It’s unfortunate that they have dropped points here and there but we have so much respect for them. We are playing at their home ground and sometimes it is not easy to play at their field,” Kaindu said.
He is happy that Highlanders are on a clean bill of health and raring to go.
“I think we are all okay in terms of injury management from the last game that we played. Everybody is available for selection,” he said.
Highlanders will be banking on their two strikers Lynoth Chikuhwa and Brighton Ncube, who have scored three goals apiece and lead the scorers’ chart.
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The evergreen midfielder Melikhaya Ncube, who has scored two goals, is also one to watch.
Last season, under Portuguese national Baltemar Brito, Highlanders went to Mhondoro in July and returned home with three points as they looked set to win the title that has eluded them for 18 years.
They faltered along the way, ceding the championship to Ngezi Platinum, who were crowned in November at Barbourfields after edging Highlanders 1-0.
Ngezi is one side that the Bosso fans, will not want to lose to this season after that BF embarrassment.
But the Takesure Chiragwi-coached side has been on a bad spell this season and all is not looking good and victory against the pacesetters is the needed boost for their confidence going ahead.
They travelled to Bulawayo in their first game of the season and returned home with a point after being held to a goalless draw by new Premiership outfit Arenel Movers.
As if that was not enough, their return home worsened their woes as they lost the second game 2-0 to fellow miners FC Platinum at Baobab before they hit the road again to settle for another goalless draw against ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga.
A sigh of relief was a win on the road against struggling Manica Diamonds in their fourth game before losing to Green Fuel in Chisumbanje last week.
