Bosso eager to improve their confidence levels

HIGHLANDERS FC, eager to improve their confidence levels, will be hard-pressed for a win when they take on Caps United in a friendly soccer match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

The two former league winners will be using the weekend fixture to keep their players active and probably perfect their combinations before Premiership action resumes.

Due to a pressing national team programme, the Castle Lager Premiership had to take a break as some of the clubs including Highlanders and Caps United have three players each with the Warriors preparing for the final qualifying leg of the African Nations Championships against Zambia.

The continued league inactivity might have had an impact on the teams' rhythm hence the decision by the country's two giants to engage in a friendly game to keep their players match fit.

The Castle Lager Premiership programme resumes on Sunday next week with the BancABC Sup8r Cup semi-finals at Barbourfields Stadium which means that both Bosso and Caps United who are out of the tournament will be out of action again.

The teams that are in the BancABC Sup8r Cup semi-finals are Dynamos who will take on Shabanie Mine while FC Platinum will lock horns with Monomotapa.

Highlanders' coach Kelvin Kaindu yesterday said they were looking forward to facing Caps United and might also give game time to some of his mid-season signings.

"The team is okay and they have been working hard at training. We are looking forward to the game and yes we may give new players game time," Kaindu said.

Highlanders only made three signings during the mid-season transfer window getting Tinashe Chipunza and Master Masitara from Botswana and recalling Gabriel Nyoni from Bulawayo Chiefs.

Masitara made his Premiership debut against Black Mambas while Chipunza sat on the bench. Nyoni has played some of the league matches for Bosso.

The Bulawayo giants are slowly losing grip on the championship race and were dislodged from second place on the log by their perennial rivals Dynamos when they lost 1-0 to Black Mambas while DeMbare beat Motor Action by a similar scoreline to move up the ladder.

What should be a cause for concern for Highlanders and their followers is that from their last five matches, Bosso has only managed to get five points from a possible 15.

Their only win in those five matches was a 1-0 victory over Hwange in Bulawayo. Highlanders also played to draws with Caps United and Chicken Inn and lost to Caps United and Black Mambas.

While Highlanders are faced with a possibility of slipping further on the Premiership if they do not wake up from their slumber, Caps United are enjoying good form.

They are fourth on the log, two points behind Highlanders, having amassed 32 points.
Former Monomotapa gaffer Taurai Mangwiro has turned around Makepekepe's fortunes and from their last five outings, they have managed to collect nine out of a possible 15 points.

They have two wins against Highlanders and Monomotapa who they beat with identical 2-1 scorelines and played three draws with Hwange, FC Platinum and Bosso.

Caps United come to Barbourfields fired up and what the two teams will be playing for is pride.
In their last meeting at Barbourfields, the two teams played to a goalless draw.