Buffaloes coach warns Bosso counterpart

BUFFALOES coach, Saul Chamunika, has warned his Highlanders' counterpart, Kelvin Kaindu ahead of the two teams' Castle Lager Premiership clash at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

Resurgent Buffaloes travel to the City of Kings and Queens for a potentially scintillating encounter against equally in-form Highlanders.

Last season, Bosso got the better of their Mutare rivals after forcing a one-all stalemate at Sakubva Stadium before edging the army outfit by a solitary goal in the reverse fixture.

Although the Bulawayo giants will certainly be the bookmakers' favourites to walk away with maximum points, Chaminuka thinks his charges have what it takes to upset Tshilamoya in their own backyard.

In an interview on the sidelines of his teams' training session early this week, Chaminuka said his boys were now in the groove and are gelling well after the two early defeats at the hands of Monomotapa and high ridding FC Platinum.

He said playing away from home always lessens the pressure on them.

"I know Highlanders are a big team and it is always difficult to play against a big team especially in their own backyard. Victory will not come on a silver platter in such a scenario.

"This explains why we will be cautious and give them the respect they deserve. However, we are also geared to get maximum points and I am travelling to Bulawayo with nothing less than three points on mind.

"I am very confident that we are capable of doing that. We have won a number of matches that no one expected us to win and I see no reason why we should doubt our capability to beat Highlanders at Babourfields," said Chaminuka.

Tshilamoya have lost one match out of the five they have played so far and that match was a 1-2 loss at the hands of the Mighty Bulls at Babourfields Stadium.

Interestingly, Buffaloes went on to silence the Clemence Matawu-inspired Mighty Bulls at Motor Action Sports Club in Harare last weekend when the Mutare army side posted an impressive away 2-1 triumph.

That Buffaloes have perfected the art of winning league matches when least expected, especially when playing away from home, will obviously instill confidence in Chaminuka and his men as they face Bosso at Emagumeni.

However Chaminuka has refused to read too much into results of matches both teams have played saying each match has its own challenges.

"I do not think it is all about how we played against Motor Action or how Highlanders played. Each and every match has its own challenges and we are going into Sunday's match focusing on the task ahead.

"In other words, we will not be flattered into complacency by the fact that we beat Motor Action and the same team beat Highlanders. This is a different ball game altogether," he said.

Bosso assistant coach, Bhekithemba Ndlovu, who has assumed the role of speaking to the media on behalf of the technical department after Kaindu excused himself, said Bosso respects Buffaloes but will be out to collect maximum points and enhance their chances of remaining in the race for the title.

He said his team is preparing for the match against Buffaloes just like any other league match they have played so far.

"We are preparing for the match just like any other match we have played so far. Yes, we respect Buffaloes since we are playing in the same league but all the same we are looking forward to collecting maximum points.

"It is too early to talk about the championship but if one needs to be in the race for the title then there is need to collect as many points as possible especially from these early matches," he said.

Indeed, coach Kaindu's Highlanders need to collect as many points as they can to remain in the race for the title after losing out to eventual winners and bitter rivals Dynamos last season.

Highlanders lost only one league match, a comprehensive 0-3 defeat at the hands of Monomotapa at Rufaro last year, en-route to a brave challenge for the league title where they finished tied, on points, with Dynamos but lost out to their bitter rivals on goal difference.

More importantly, Bosso were unbeaten at home, all season, in the league last year.

Nonetheless, if Kaindu is to go all the way to lift the Zimbabwean Premiership title then the Zambian expatriate will have to be more patient and learn to put up with all that he perceives as a plot against him by referees handling league matches in the domestic top flight soccer league.

Recently, the Zambian reportedly threatened to quit Zimbabwe football, claiming referees were giving him poor treatment after a controversial decision by match officials to disallow what looked like a genuine Highlanders' goal during the Independence Cup final.

After getting a red card at Gibbo Stadium in his side's 2-1 win over Triangle, Kaindu saw his charges lose 1-0 to Dynamos in the Independence Trophy final where Highlanders had a goal disallowed for offside before striker Njabulo Ncube's red card.

As if that was not enough, Kaindu also had to watch his team let in a late, late equalizer by the same opponents, Dynamos, four minutes of injury time had elapsed, but because of injuries to Highlanders players, referee Norman Matemera added more time and Law 7 of the Laws of the Game allows that but it, however, did not go down well with Kaindu.

Week Eight Fixtures:
Highlanders v Buffaloes; CAPS United v Shabanie Mine; Harare City v Chicken Inn; Motor Action v Black Mambas; Black Rhinos v How Mine; Hwange v Triangle; Monomotapa v Dynamos; FC Platinum v Tripple B.