Relegation stalks Bosso

HIGHLANDERS FC's chances of relegation are real and the ailing Bulawayo giants must up their game in their last six fixtures to remain afloat. Highlanders have been part of the Premier Soccer League from its establishment in 1993 when clubs broke away from Zifa.

Since then, Bosso have won the six league titles in 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2006. Despite such an illustrious history, Bosso are now a pale shadow of their yesteryear exploits during which they sent shivers down the spines of their opponents.

Right now, Bosso pose no threat, even to minnows, and based on current form, they are headed for the chop, although they could still survive.

Bosso are perched on 10th position, just three places above the drop zone, and need 13 points from the six remaining games of the season to ensure survival without factoring in any permutations.

What makes the remaining games tricky for Highlanders is that they only managed to pick up three points from their last six games comprising five losses and one win.

The points were from their 1-0 win over Flame Lily at Barbourfields Stadium a fortnight ago.

The defeats were to FC Platinum, Harare City, Chicken Inn, Whawha and Caps United.

So disjointed have Highlanders been in the second half of the season that they've only managed to collect eight points out of a possible 27.

With such appalling statistics, Bosso are two games away from equalling their highest number of defeats per season achieved in 1995 when they lost 12 games and finished in eighth place.

The team then was under the guidance of Barry Daka and Cosmas "Tsano" Zulu.

Tsano has again roped in as technical director alongside head coach Amini Soma-Phiri on an interim basis after a change to the club's technical set up.

The duo has been in charge of three games in which Bosso beat Flame Lily at Barbourfields Stadium and lost to Caps United and Harare City in the capital.

Bosso face bottom of the table Dongo Sawmill at Barbourfields in their next match followed by a trip to the Midlands for a date with Chapungu before entertaining Buffaloes at home. They will travel to Hwange before wrapping their season with two home games against Tsholotsho and ZPC Kariba.

With Dongo Sawmill's survival chances next to nothing, Highlanders should brace for challenging games against Buffaloes, Tsholotsho and ZPC Kariba, who are all involved in the relegation fight.

Bosso will not have it easy against Hwange at the Colliery Stadium as the coalminers are targeting a top eight finish.

What Highlanders need is for their players to rise to the occasion to avoid the curse of going down in history as the players that got the club relegated to the unfashionable world of Division One football.

Some Bosso players know the feeling of being relegated and it's surprising how they almost seem not to care where they will be playing next season.

These players include Valentine Ndaba, formerly with Gunners and Central Region outfit Shabanie Mine, Webster Chingodza, who turned out for Tripple B of Beitbridge, Tendai Ngulube (Monomotapa), Nqobizitha Masuku, Obadiah Tarumbwa and Teenage Hadebe (all Bantu Rovers), Douglas Sibanda (Shabanie Mine), Simon Munawa and Mthulisi Maphosa (Zimbabwe Saints).