Clive Thabo Dube
HIGHLANDERS FC’s 2023-24 campaign has been a roller coaster with the club struggling to produce positive results at the start of the season, only registering goalless draws.
Nevertheless, Bosso remain the only undefeated team in the country’s topflight league, and with only two games left before half season, Bosso’s performance has turned for the better.
The Bulawayo giants have been consistently taking a positive turn, with most goals coming from the set piece ploy. Reaping rewards from the set piece approach, Baltermar Brito’s charges are tipped to end the PSL title drought they last won in 2006.
The set piece prowess of Bosso is currently one of the club’s goal creation and scoring tactic in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) this season. The utilization of dead balls has been aggressively hacking opponents on the pitch. Creating corner kicks, throw ins and prolific free kicks has surely contributed to uMantengwane’s current form of success.
Will this contribute to uMantengwane’s downfall?
“If we conquer corners it’s because we have the ball, if we win fouls, it’s because the opponents make fouls. If we do not concede goals, it’s because we will be having more ball possession than the opponent. If the opponent stops us by fouls, there is no rules in football that does not allow goals from set-pieces. So it’s the moment of the game that we put focus on because this does not only happen in Zimbabwe, but all over the world.” Said Brito.
Melikhaya Ncube and Andrew Mbeba have been precise on dead ball routines, with four goals in the last three matches, scored from preplanned situations.
“We are getting goals from that moment because we have the ball and we conquer fouls.” Added Brito.
The Black and white army’s next assignment comes against 3rd placed Manica Diamonds.
Primed to be a battle of aggression, skill and zeal, confidence is flowing in the Tshilamoya camp at the moment, and the Bulawayo outfit are all but geared up for the clash.
The visitors ought to be ready to put strong bodies in motion at Barbourfields Stadium where no team has triumphed this season.
“We do not change focus, we try to develop our game, we try to plan the game with some different dynamics week by week. But these dynamics do not change too much in what we are doing.
“We know Manica Diamonds is one strong team…The way they build the squad they want to be champions. We know we have a tough game ahead.”
This season, the not so flimsy Gem Boys have shown resilience against PSL heavyweights. In May, they held reigning champions FC Platinum to a two all draw, they went on to defeat Chicken Inn before going to a 0-0 draw with Dynamos.
Bustling, Fortune Binzi, who will be looking to add more goals to his current eight, is one player expected to dominate and overrun the Highlanders defense.
Meanwhile, they might be at the top, the favorites to win and continue the winning streak, Bosso charges have struggled to score from open play.
“We are managing it in the way that we should do. Because before making a goal, you do not have only to train strikers. Before the ball arrives on the strikers, we should have a good build up from our midfield to connect well with the strikers. And when you teach a team to work as a team, the goals should not only come from strikers or from open play.” Said Bosso gaffer Brito.
Come Sunday, Highlanders will be looking to extend their unbeaten record and the Mutare based side will try their level best to inflict a first league defeat to Bosso.
Zim GBC Sport News©2023