Sports / Local
Bosso on threshold of glory
23 Oct 2013 at 10:59hrs | Views
HIGHLANDERS fans will feel fate is on their side to win the league title this season - the last time Bosso found themselves leading the championship race, after 25 games, they were crowned champions seven years ago.
Then, just like now, they were led by a former star midfielder with Methembe Ndlovu in charge of the Bosso team, when they were last crowned champions in 2006, while Kelvin Kaindu has thrust his side into a very good position to grab the ultimate prize on the domestic football scene.
It's the first time, since the Bulawayo giants were champions, that Bosso find themselves leading their fierce rivals, Dynamos, in the race with five league matches left in the season and, crucially, with a home tie against the Glamour Boys on the horizon where they have a golden chance to extend their advantage.
Interestingly, the two-point difference between the two giants in this season's race is a carbon copy of the two-point difference that existed, after 25 league matches, last year although what has just changed is the identity of the team that is leading the race.
Where Dynamos enjoyed a two-point advantage over Highlanders, after 25 games last year, has now changed to Bosso getting the two-point cushion over their rivals ahead of the two giants' blockbuster Battle of Zimbabwe showdown at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Ironically, just like last season, the two teams' last league fixture, where a win for the home side would effectively end the contest, came in the 26th league match of the campaign, just like this year, with the home team enjoying the lead in the championship race.
Last year, Dynamos hosted Highlanders on October 28, in the 26th league match of the season, carrying a two-point advantage, and this year Bosso will host Dembare on October 27, in the 26th league game of the campaign, with the hosts enjoying the lead in the marathon.
Incredibly, this is the third year running where the reverse league fixture between Dynamos and Highlanders will be the 26th league game of the campaign as this was also the case two years ago with the Glamour Boys winning comfortably 3-1 on home turf.
Nine of the Dembare players, who started that big match at Rufaro last October, which ended in a 1-1 draw - George Chigova, Partson jaure, Thomas Magorimbo, Ocean Mushure, Gift Bello, Cliff Sekete, Tawanda Muparati, Simba Sithole and Farai Mupasiri - are likely to be involved in the blockbuster encounter at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Only Devon Chafa (suspended) and Denver Mukamba, who has left for greener pastures in South Africa, will be missing. Sithole scored for Dembare in that game, giving them an early lead in the 11th minute, before Chigova's blunder allowed a harmless ball flighted by Bruce Kangwa to find the target and give Bosso a share of the spoils.
Sithole has looked a shade slower, since his return, and his confidence hasn't been helped by the way he has struggled to quickly find his rhythm, something that is probably expected for a player who hasn't played competitive football for a long time, and if he can break his duck at Barbourfields, the Dembare fans will feel he was worth the investment.
Kangwa impressed Warriors' coach, Ian Gorowa, who watched Bosso not only become the first visiting team to score a goal at Rimuka but fire home three goals in a spectacular performance that kept their campaign alive, in that 3-0 destruction of Rhinos.
"Bruce was impressive with his runs into the opponents' half, he just didn't stop attacking and he was very useful for Highlanders in that match, he provided incredible energy for his team and he was a real handful for the opponents," said Gorowa.
"There were question marks, though, about the way that he tracked back, when they were defending. But they have a good team and I think it will be a close and tense battle when they meet Dynamos in that big league match."
Six of the Bosso players, who started that big match at Rufaro in October last year - Kangwa, Innocent Mapuranga, Eric Mudzingwa, Mthulisi Maphosa, Bekhi Ncube and Masimba Mambare - are also likely to be involved at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Bosso have been making progress, since last year, given that after 25 matches of the season in 2011, the Bulawayo giants were limping badly in the championship race, which then featured Dynamos and FC Platinum, with the Zvishavane miners leading with 49 points, Dembare in second place with 45 points and Highlanders a distant third with 39 points.
The difference between the two giants, in 2010, after 25 games of the season was 11 points, with Dembare having the advantage, although Motor Action were leading the race with 58 points in a season where they won the championship.
With 45 points on the board, this is Dembare's lowest points tally, at this stage of the season, in the past seven years but their fans will draw comfort from that it matches their haul, after 25 games, two years ago when they trailed FC Platinum but then went to Zvishavane and won a huge match and ended up as champions.
With 47 points on the board, this is Highlanders' highest points tally, at this stage of the season in the past seven years, and it matches their points haul, after 25 matches, during the 2007 season when Dynamos triumphed in the championship race.
Dynamos/Highlanders After 25 League Games Since Bosso Were Champions
2007
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 15 6 4 33 15 51
Bosso 25 14 5 6 40 23 47
2008
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 17 3 5 40 25 54
Bosso 25 8 14 3 29 14 38
2009
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 14 5 6 36 15 47
Bosso 25 9 9 7 23 18 36
2010
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 17 6 2 35 9 57
Bosso 25 14 4 7 27 18 46
2011
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 13 6 6 34 14 45
Bosso 25 11 6 8 24 17 39
2012
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 18 4 3 41 10 58
Bosso 25 16 8 1 42 14 56
Then, just like now, they were led by a former star midfielder with Methembe Ndlovu in charge of the Bosso team, when they were last crowned champions in 2006, while Kelvin Kaindu has thrust his side into a very good position to grab the ultimate prize on the domestic football scene.
It's the first time, since the Bulawayo giants were champions, that Bosso find themselves leading their fierce rivals, Dynamos, in the race with five league matches left in the season and, crucially, with a home tie against the Glamour Boys on the horizon where they have a golden chance to extend their advantage.
Interestingly, the two-point difference between the two giants in this season's race is a carbon copy of the two-point difference that existed, after 25 league matches, last year although what has just changed is the identity of the team that is leading the race.
Where Dynamos enjoyed a two-point advantage over Highlanders, after 25 games last year, has now changed to Bosso getting the two-point cushion over their rivals ahead of the two giants' blockbuster Battle of Zimbabwe showdown at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Ironically, just like last season, the two teams' last league fixture, where a win for the home side would effectively end the contest, came in the 26th league match of the campaign, just like this year, with the home team enjoying the lead in the championship race.
Last year, Dynamos hosted Highlanders on October 28, in the 26th league match of the season, carrying a two-point advantage, and this year Bosso will host Dembare on October 27, in the 26th league game of the campaign, with the hosts enjoying the lead in the marathon.
Incredibly, this is the third year running where the reverse league fixture between Dynamos and Highlanders will be the 26th league game of the campaign as this was also the case two years ago with the Glamour Boys winning comfortably 3-1 on home turf.
Nine of the Dembare players, who started that big match at Rufaro last October, which ended in a 1-1 draw - George Chigova, Partson jaure, Thomas Magorimbo, Ocean Mushure, Gift Bello, Cliff Sekete, Tawanda Muparati, Simba Sithole and Farai Mupasiri - are likely to be involved in the blockbuster encounter at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Only Devon Chafa (suspended) and Denver Mukamba, who has left for greener pastures in South Africa, will be missing. Sithole scored for Dembare in that game, giving them an early lead in the 11th minute, before Chigova's blunder allowed a harmless ball flighted by Bruce Kangwa to find the target and give Bosso a share of the spoils.
Sithole has looked a shade slower, since his return, and his confidence hasn't been helped by the way he has struggled to quickly find his rhythm, something that is probably expected for a player who hasn't played competitive football for a long time, and if he can break his duck at Barbourfields, the Dembare fans will feel he was worth the investment.
Kangwa impressed Warriors' coach, Ian Gorowa, who watched Bosso not only become the first visiting team to score a goal at Rimuka but fire home three goals in a spectacular performance that kept their campaign alive, in that 3-0 destruction of Rhinos.
"Bruce was impressive with his runs into the opponents' half, he just didn't stop attacking and he was very useful for Highlanders in that match, he provided incredible energy for his team and he was a real handful for the opponents," said Gorowa.
"There were question marks, though, about the way that he tracked back, when they were defending. But they have a good team and I think it will be a close and tense battle when they meet Dynamos in that big league match."
Six of the Bosso players, who started that big match at Rufaro in October last year - Kangwa, Innocent Mapuranga, Eric Mudzingwa, Mthulisi Maphosa, Bekhi Ncube and Masimba Mambare - are also likely to be involved at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Bosso have been making progress, since last year, given that after 25 matches of the season in 2011, the Bulawayo giants were limping badly in the championship race, which then featured Dynamos and FC Platinum, with the Zvishavane miners leading with 49 points, Dembare in second place with 45 points and Highlanders a distant third with 39 points.
The difference between the two giants, in 2010, after 25 games of the season was 11 points, with Dembare having the advantage, although Motor Action were leading the race with 58 points in a season where they won the championship.
With 45 points on the board, this is Dembare's lowest points tally, at this stage of the season, in the past seven years but their fans will draw comfort from that it matches their haul, after 25 games, two years ago when they trailed FC Platinum but then went to Zvishavane and won a huge match and ended up as champions.
With 47 points on the board, this is Highlanders' highest points tally, at this stage of the season in the past seven years, and it matches their points haul, after 25 matches, during the 2007 season when Dynamos triumphed in the championship race.
Dynamos/Highlanders After 25 League Games Since Bosso Were Champions
2007
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 15 6 4 33 15 51
Bosso 25 14 5 6 40 23 47
2008
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 17 3 5 40 25 54
Bosso 25 8 14 3 29 14 38
2009
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 14 5 6 36 15 47
Bosso 25 9 9 7 23 18 36
2010
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 17 6 2 35 9 57
Bosso 25 14 4 7 27 18 46
2011
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 13 6 6 34 14 45
Bosso 25 11 6 8 24 17 39
2012
P W D L F A Pts
Dynamos 25 18 4 3 41 10 58
Bosso 25 16 8 1 42 14 56
Source - herald
