Zimpapers Logo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter—
“THIS is rubbish,” these were the words of former Highlanders chairman Ernest Maphepha Sibanda following Highlanders’ morale sapping loss to a resurgent Harare City in a league match played at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday. A directionless Highlanders lost 0-1 to Harare City, coached by Masimba Dinyero and are now four points behind clear cut championship favourites Dynamos who held FC Platinum to a nil all draw at Mandava Stadium on the same day.
DeMbare are eyeing their fourth straight championship under Callisto Pasuwa.

With seven games to go before the season ends, Kelvin Kaindu now needs a miracle for his overrated boys to land their first league title since 2006 although their fate is clearly no longer in their hands especially with Dynamos left with just a single away match in Mutare against Moses Chunga’s Buffaloes.

Kaindu’s technical prowess has been rudely exposed with all the teams now able to read and counter his game plan as shown by the fact that Highlanders has this season failed to record back to back wins against any team.

In fact, the Zambian is yet to collect maximum points in Harare this season.
“I will not hide by the bush, this is clearly not acceptable. I’m mourning and so do the entire Highlanders family but being a law abiding individual angifuni kuthi bhadla, what should be done. We’ve people who are mandated to run the club for us, they’re the ones who know what to do,” said Sibanda.

He added: “Nobody wants to lose, especially now but like I said, the club has people who were chosen to run it so I wouldn’t want to be seen as if I’m interfering in the running of Highlanders but eish, things are really not looking good.”

Maphepha, who as a manager won back to back league titles with Highlanders before leading Amahlolanyama to a league title as chairman in 2006 with Methembe Ndlovu as coach, conceded that while championship chances were still there, Bosso were slowly but surely losing grip.

“Football is a very crazy game, we might land the title against all expectations but reality on the ground points to another empty season, we’ve lost grip especially with this loss to Harare City,” said Maphepha who was clearly a man in pains.

When cornered into what action he would have taken had he been in Peter Dube’s (Highlanders chairman) shoes, the charismatic former Highlanders chairman switched off his phone.

Meanwhile, Highlanders legend Netsai ‘Super’ Moyo has blamed the present crop of players for the situation the club finds itself in, saying very few have the stamina and clout to withstand the pressure that goes with playing for a club as big as Highlanders.

“Things are really not looking good for Highlanders at the moment but personally I wouldn’t want to put the blame solely on Kaindu. I feel our players are also to blame, some of them don’t have that lion’s heart needed, especially now,” said Moyo, a tough as teak defender during his heydays.

He like Maphepha, conceded that winning the league title will be a huge miracle but urged supporters to continue rallying behind the team.
Kaindu has finished as runner up to Dynamos in the last two seasons with his only gold medal being the Mbada Diamonds Cup which he won at the expense of How Mine last season.

Highlanders’ remaining matches
Highlanders v ZPC (Kariba), Highlanders v Chicken Inn, Hwange v Highlanders, Highlanders v Chiredzi United, Shabanie Mine v Highlanders.
Dynamos’ remaining matches

Dynamos v Shabanie Mine, Buffaloes v Dynamos. Dynamos v Chapungu, Harare City v Dynamos, Dynamos v Bantu Rovers, ZPC (Kariba) v Dynamos.