HIGHLANDERS Football Club coach Baltemar Brito put up a grin at yesterday’s press conference, as he said he hopes to get lucky and guide his team to a victory within 90 minutes of play against Dynamos.
Bosso plays host to Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow in a rearranged Matchday 5 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League fixture that was postponed to allow the giants to compete at the 43rd Independence celebrations.
Highlanders went on to lift the Uhuru Cup, doing so after penalty shootouts which they won 4-3. The Independence Cup game that was played at Mt Darwin had ended 0-0.
It was the second time for Brito to play Dynamos, having done so in the return leg of the 2021/22 Premiership season, an encounter that ended 0-0, with both teams playing boring football.
Then, Dynamos were under Tonderai Ndiraya and now they are under Herbert Maruwa, a gaffer who is on a mission to transform DeMbare.
Both coaches, Brito and Maruwa had the opportunity to spy on each other last weekend, with the former doing so 24 hours after his team drew 1-1 against Cranborne bullets at the National Sports Stadium.
Courtesy of Highlanders’ Harare Supporters’ Chapter who took care of the Bosso technical team’s overnight accommodation after the Cranborne match to enable their gaffers to watch Dynamos’ 0-0 draw against Manica Diamonds.
Brito, happy that the rearranged match is being played on a holiday, is confident of a victory.
“Now, if you look at the two teams, they are almost the same. In the last two games (against Dynamos) we drew. As coaches, we say on the third time we get the win. So, we will win. We’re confident of a win,” said Brito.
Being bold and confident is what the Bosso coach displayed yesterday and it is such an attitude that gets players into groove.
However, the Highlanders gaffer is aware that the same tactics he is using in motivating his charges might be the same as that Maruwa is employing.
And with both teams heading to tomorrow’s clash from three consecutive draws, Brito isn’t reading much to recent results.
“The three draws doesn’t mean we’re bad. In terms of strategy the boys were all the time playing in half of the opponent and we didn’t concede many, just one goal (in the 1-1 draw against Cranborne Bullets).
“We have played competitive teams. We look forward to teams with the same respect and when playing away, teams fight hard. So, we did our best in the past three games, we’re near the top,” Brito said.
With playmaker Divine Mhindirira out for a long period as he is due for an operation on his toe, Highlanders will look at either Elshamar Farasi, veteran Rahman Kutsanzira and 17-year-old Prince Ndhlovu who returned last week from a month-long trial stint in Austria.
Ndhlovu has had three sessions with his teammates, with Brito reporting that the youngster is fighting for a place in the squad.
The Highlanders gaffer also took the opportunity to clarify on his decision to keep playing last season’s club top scorer with 10 goals Lynoth Chikuhwa, who is going through a goal drought, last finding the back of the net on September 11 when Bosso beat Triangle United 2-0.
Chikuhwa has gone for 16 games without a goal, but his coach stood by him, saying; “Sometimes, the people just assess the performance of the strikers with the goals and it’s not fair.”
Brito said there’s no guarantee that even if he changes and bench Chikuhwa the replacement striker will score.
Bosso have Stanley Ngala, Washington Navaya and Calvin Chigonero among their strikers. The trio has scored four goals this season with Chigonero getting a double.
Meanwhile, Highlanders have increased gate charges for their crunch tie. The cheapest ticket for the country’s biggest game has gone up to US$5 from US$2, with wings charges doubled to US$10 while those who want to watch from the VIP will fork out US$15.
Nozibelo Maphosa, Highlanders spokesperson confirmed hike of gate charges.
“This is our biggest game and being the only fixture of the holiday, the PSL has granted us permission to increase the gate charges to US$5 for the rest of the ground, US$10 for the grand stand wings and US$15 for the VIP,” said Maphosa.
Bosso are the second club after Caps United to have applied for an increase of gate charges.
The league’s board of governors agreed at the start of the season to have the lowest ticket pegged at US$2 as compared to US$3 that fans paid last year.
However, for “big” games such as the Highlanders-Dynamos, and MatchDay seven battle of the capital between Caps United and Dynamos, the PSL bosses agreed that the minimum charge for rest of the ground be pegged at US$3, with clubs granted permission to go beyond the figure. – The Chronicle
