Sports / Local
Highlanders invade Ascot Stadium
05 Apr 2014 at 09:20hrs | Views
Highlanders players troop into Ascot Stadium in Gweru for their opening Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter with Chapungu this afternoon.
Gweru is certainly going to be painted black and white.
Inspired by the arrival of Kelvin Kaindu from Zambia, the zeal to please their multitude of supporters as well as maintaining their proud record over Premiership returnees, Amahlolanyama have already cast aside the four-game pre-season demon and are now fully focused for the job at hand this afternoon.
With Kaindu arriving back in the country yesterday afternoon and quickly getting down to business, Highlanders should not let the favourites tag blind them if they are to maintain their good record. The airmen are obviously determined to start their reunion with the elite league on a high note and are very confident having embarrassed Bosso in the CG Msipa Invitational tournament in which they posted a 2-1 penalty win.
No doubt it will be an uphill task for the John Nyikadzino coached Midlanders but they can overcome.
Bosso enjoy a proud 14 wins, a single draw and a loss over Chapungu in the 16 matches that the two teams have played since the turn of the millennium, in the process drilling the nets 32 times past Chapungu goalkeepers while their own shotstoppers have picked the ball from the nets 11 times.
Four of those times were in a single match when a rampaging Chapungu hammered Highlanders 4-0 at Ascot Stadium on November 10, 2001, their only victory over the Bulawayo giants.
Bosso on the other hand, in 2003, won 4-2 through braces from Chewe Mulenga and Chipo Tsodzo with Tapiwa Kumbuyani and Raphael Mawadza scoring for Chapungu. That year Chapungu was relegated and its second relegation was 2008. It only returned to the elite league this year.
Both teams' technical brains have expressed confidence over their chances of recording maximum points with Nyikadzino saying the pre-season win over the Bulawayo giants had convinced his boys that Highlanders are not invincible after all. Mark Mathe, the man who has been in charge of Highlanders in the absence of Kaindu was also sure of a good outing.
Fixtures:
Today:
Caps United v ZPC Kariba (Gwanzura); Bantu Rovers v Black Rhinos (Luveve, 1300hrs SS9); Chicken Inn v Harare City (Luveve,1530hrsSS9); Chapungu v Highlanders (Ascot)
Tomorrow:
Hwange v Buffaloes (Colliery); How Mine v Dynamos (Barbourfields);SS9; Shabanie Mine v Triangle United (Maglas); Chiredzi v FC Platinum (Gibbo)
Gweru is certainly going to be painted black and white.
Inspired by the arrival of Kelvin Kaindu from Zambia, the zeal to please their multitude of supporters as well as maintaining their proud record over Premiership returnees, Amahlolanyama have already cast aside the four-game pre-season demon and are now fully focused for the job at hand this afternoon.
With Kaindu arriving back in the country yesterday afternoon and quickly getting down to business, Highlanders should not let the favourites tag blind them if they are to maintain their good record. The airmen are obviously determined to start their reunion with the elite league on a high note and are very confident having embarrassed Bosso in the CG Msipa Invitational tournament in which they posted a 2-1 penalty win.
No doubt it will be an uphill task for the John Nyikadzino coached Midlanders but they can overcome.
Bosso enjoy a proud 14 wins, a single draw and a loss over Chapungu in the 16 matches that the two teams have played since the turn of the millennium, in the process drilling the nets 32 times past Chapungu goalkeepers while their own shotstoppers have picked the ball from the nets 11 times.
Four of those times were in a single match when a rampaging Chapungu hammered Highlanders 4-0 at Ascot Stadium on November 10, 2001, their only victory over the Bulawayo giants.
Bosso on the other hand, in 2003, won 4-2 through braces from Chewe Mulenga and Chipo Tsodzo with Tapiwa Kumbuyani and Raphael Mawadza scoring for Chapungu. That year Chapungu was relegated and its second relegation was 2008. It only returned to the elite league this year.
Both teams' technical brains have expressed confidence over their chances of recording maximum points with Nyikadzino saying the pre-season win over the Bulawayo giants had convinced his boys that Highlanders are not invincible after all. Mark Mathe, the man who has been in charge of Highlanders in the absence of Kaindu was also sure of a good outing.
Fixtures:
Today:
Caps United v ZPC Kariba (Gwanzura); Bantu Rovers v Black Rhinos (Luveve, 1300hrs SS9); Chicken Inn v Harare City (Luveve,1530hrsSS9); Chapungu v Highlanders (Ascot)
Tomorrow:
Hwange v Buffaloes (Colliery); How Mine v Dynamos (Barbourfields);SS9; Shabanie Mine v Triangle United (Maglas); Chiredzi v FC Platinum (Gibbo)
Source - chronicle
