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Knox Mutizwa will not be firing blanks to save Tsholotsho FC

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO giants Highlanders have declared war on Tsholotsho FC, with interim technical advisor Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu saying Bosso won’t show mercy for their relegation-threatened neighbours.

Highlanders have been fired-up since bundling FC Platinum out of the Easycall Cup last Sunday. They followed it up with a gallant 4-2 midweek league win against Hwange at the Colliery.

Bosso won the first encounter 1-0 against Tsholotsho through a fluke wonder goal by defender Teenage Hadebe.

Tsholotsho need victory at all costs to keep their survival hopes alive when they face Bosso at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

Iziqholo ze Zhwane are a place above the chop zone with 30 points, just a point above Buffaloes who are away at Triangle United.

The Zhwane Boys are staring the murky relegation waters and rekindled their faint hopes of surviving the chop by holding league leaders Chicken Inn 1-1 on Wednesday.

Addressing the Highlanders’ weekly Highlanders Press conference yesterday, Zulu said it would be difficult for Tsholotsho to beat Bosso as the Zhwane Boys will have to perform better than FC Platinum and Hwange.

“We won’t do Tsholotsho any favours because there is a lot at stake besides the fact that Highlanders is a professional club that values the spirit of fair play. We can’t lose because there are four teams tied on 38 points and if we lose, we may easily find ourselves outside the top eight. If we are out of the top eight, it means we are depriving the club of playing in next year’s top eight cup,” said Zulu.

Highlanders are on position six and are tied on 38 points with Harare City, Hwange and Chapungu who are all away tomorrow against Chicken Inn, ZPC Kariba and Dynamos.

Even if the three clubs falter tomorrow, Zulu said they won’t rest on their laurels as they were given a target of winning at least six matches when they took over from the Bongani Mafu-led technical team on an interim basis.

So far, they have won four of their seven league games, claiming the scalps of Flame Lily, Dongo Sawmill, Buffaloes and Hwange. Under Zulu and Amini Soma-Phiri, Bosso drew once against Chapungu and lost twice to Harare City and Caps United.

“There is no way we can lose to Tsholotsho because when we came in, we were told to win six to seven games and we want to do that. Actually we are going to field our strongest team and if Tsholotsho are going to win, they have to do better than FC Platinum and Hwange, which I doubt they can do,” said Zulu.