Chicken Inn, Bosso clash

CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League leaders Highlanders face another test when they date defending champions Chicken Inn at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow.

Chicken Inn will be at home and will be eager to get their slim hopes of getting their title defence back on track by collecting maximum points against Highlanders who are enjoying a fine form.

Bosso have gone for an unbeaten run of nine games, with their last defeat being on Week Two when they lost 1-2 to championship contenders FC Platinum at Barbourfields.

Since picking themselves up from that defeat, Bosso have won eight games, drawing twice to keep their title hopes alive. They have 26 points from 11 matches, three points more than what Chicken Inn had at this stage last season.

Chicken Inn are on distant position eight with 14 points from 10 games.

Going into tomorrow's game, history favours Chicken Inn as they have lost to Bosso once since gaining promotion at the begging of 2011.

Tomorrow's game will be their 11th meeting.

Chicken Inn's loss to Highlanders was a 1-2 defeat registered in their first meeting in 2011 and after that, Bosso have gone on to lose four times and draw five encounters.

Last season Chicken Inn won the first leg 2-1 and needed a late goal in the return fixture to beat the Bulawayo giants 3-2 in a highly entertaining game.

That second leg defeat to Chicken Inn cost then Bosso coach Bongani Mafu his job alongside his technical team which had Mandla Mpofu, Peter Nkomo and Netsai Moyo.

Highlanders then appointed Amini Soma-Phiri and Cosmas Zulu on an interim basis and the duo masterminded Bosso's Easycall Cup victory, edging Chicken Inn 0-1 in the final.

Ralph Matema scored the solitary goal for Bosso from the penalty spot.

Most of the players that played in that final are still around.

Defender Teanage Hadebe who was a vital cog for Bosso last year and was in the starting line-up of the final will tomorrow play for Chicken Inn alongside another ex-Highlanders player Obidiah Tarumbwa who will lead the defending champions' attack.

Players who represented Bosso in the Easycall Cup final who will not play tomorrow's fixture are striker Knox Mutizwa who is off to Bidvest Wits, injured midfielder Rahman Kutsanzira, forward Gabriel Nyoni and ex-Highlanders midfielder Nqobizitha Masuku, now at FC Platinum.

Players from the squad that played for Chicken Inn in the Easycall Cup final who will not play are Mitchelle Katsvairo and Edmore Chirambadare, now at Kaizer Chiefs since Monday, winger Toto Banda, now at How Mine, suspended centre back Lawrence Mhlanga and Ishmael Lawe who was offloaded at the beginning of the season.

Chicken Inn also have suspended Devine Lunga missing out of today's game.

Some of the players expected to lead Highlanders' quest for their second victory against Chicken Inn on a season they're breaking records include skipper Felix Chindungwe, Erick Mudzingwa, Prince Dube, Peter Muduhwa, Honest Moyo and Bruce Kangwa.

Chicken Inn's hopes will be pinned on Elvis Chipezeze, Passmore Bernard, Moses Jackson, George Majika, veteran Clemence Matawu and Tafadzwa Kutinyu.

Meanwhile, this afternoon How Mine will be hoping to end their five-match winless streak when they take on Ngezi Platinum at Luveve Stadium.

The goldminers' last win was on May 14 when they beat Caps United 2-1 at Luveve.

In their last five games, How Mine lost to Hwange and Highlanders by identical 0-2 scorelines and drew against FC Platinum, Tsholotsho and Chapungu.

Ngezi come into the game under new coach Tonderai Ndiraya who started his tenure last week with a 1-0 win against Border Strikers.

Ndiraya will be hoping to make it two wins out of two matches and help the platinum miners move up the ladder.