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New Orleans central defender Sandi Nyathi

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
NEW Orleans have threatened to run riot over Highlanders Royals when the two sides meet in a National Football Association of Zimbabwe Southern Region Women Football League match at Highlanders Club House this morning.

The once mighty and feared Bulawayo side is coming from a 2-0 win over police outfit Blackboots last weekend while Royals were inactive but the previous week had suffered a 7-0 thumping at the hands of a Nomazulu Tshuma-inspired Hwange Ladies.

New Orleans central defender Sandi Nyathi said they will show no mercy on their opponents and boldly declared that it will be an avalanche of goals.

“I’ve no doubt in my mind that we will continue with our winning ways. While not under-estimating them I think we will hit them with many goals,” said Nyathi, a former Cowdray Park Queens player.

She said New Orleans were eager to reclaim their status as the best women football team in Bulawayo and the country at large.

“So far it’s all looking promising and personally ever since I joined them I think my game has also improved greatly,” she said.

New Orleans are set to feature Rio Olympics bound Nobukhosi Matshazi while Pretty Ngwenya will keep the posts guarded.

Highlanders Royals coach Jackie Ngwenya needs to summon all her tactical skills if they are to pull off a shocker. She has however been working under very difficult conditions.

In other matches, ZRP Bulawayo travel a short trip to Cowdray Park for a date with Queens in a match that could go either way as both teams are blowing hot and cold. Shellitah Zulu for the police ladies, will be the player to watch for the home team defenders.

An interesting match is on the cards at Fairbridge where a Ntombiyelanga ‘Tsola’ Ndlovu-inspired Hearts of Oak takes on Blackboots who would not want to embarrass themselves in front of their commanders.

Mitchell Guri, Lynatte Chikos and Talent Magwayi will be key for Blackboots if they are to entertain hopes of winning while the visitors will have Happy Gumbo and Charity Ndiweni as their key players alongside the former Mighty Warriors sharpshooter Ndlovu.

At the Colliery, Hwange Ladies will take on Borrow Jets while Street Set will be home to Magwegwe. Leaders Inline Academy, who clobbered Blackboots 7-0 in a midweek encounter are expected to be ruthless again when they take on Sobukhazi at Mzilikazi High School.

The Southern Region league has so far been running smoothly, an indication that the region is reclaiming its status as the hub and glory of women football in the country.

Fixtures

Hwange Ladies v Borrow Jets (Colliery), Street Set v Magwegwe (Sizinda), Cowdray Park v ZRP Bulaway (Cowdray Park), Highlanders v New Orleans (Bosso club house), Blackboots v Hearts of Oak (Fairbridge, 10am) ,Sobukhazi v Inline Academy (Mzilikazi High).