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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS FC will be out to make a strong start to the second-half of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign when they host Black Rhinos at Barbourfields Stadium tomorrow.

Bosso had a first-half of the season to forget, managing only five wins from 17 matches.

They are a lowly 10th place on the league table and just seven points away from the relegation spot.

However, they resume the second-round of action with a new coach in the form of Brazilian-born Portuguese coach Baltemar Brito, who has been tasked with turning around the team’s fortunes.

Brito arrived in the country about three weeks ago together with his first assistant Antonio Torres to replace the sacked Mandla Mpofu and Bekithemba Ndlovu, and the Portuguese watched Highlanders beating Harare City 1-0 under the guidance of second assistant coach Joel Luphahla at Barbourfields Stadium before the mid-season break.

He also watched his first opponents tomorrow Black Rhinos taking on Bulawayo City the previous day and probably has an idea of what to expect from the army side.

Black Rhinos beat Bosso 2-0 in the reverse fixture played in November last year.

“We watched their game against Bulawayo City before the break. I know it will be a tough game.

They are a strong team on the physical dimension.

They have good organisation inside the field and they put high pressure in every moment of the game and they fight a lot.

They are a clever team with good players.

They also manage the game well when they are winning.

“I am satisfied with the squad.

The players have been impressive at training.

But I am aware a game situation is different from a training session.

We need the courage and capacity to win the game.

We want a team that can fight and is capable of winning.

The players must show the fans that they are willing to win,” Brito said ahead of the game.

Bosso captains Ariel Sibanda and Nqobizitha Masuku said there have been notable changes since the coming in of Brito.

“The tactics are changing and it is not only playing football, but the mindset also has to change.

Football is not all about just kicking the ball, but one has to be focused and forget other things.

We have been enjoying it and I think so far so good,” said Sibanda.

Masuku said: “It’s not easy, but football language is the same.

Tactics are now different; the mentality is different and there are different ideas that are coming in terms of how we approach the game.

We are trying our best to grasp whatever they are teaching us and whatever they are trying to implement.

What is important is to implement that on match day.”

Matchday 18 fixtures

Today: Cranborne Bullets vs Chicken Inn (Sakubva), Bulawayo City vs Ngezi Platinum (Barbourfields), Yadah vs Dynamos (National Sports Stadium)

Tomorrow: Tenax vs FC Platinum (Sakubva), Caps United vs ZPC Kariba (National Sports Stadium), Highlanders vs Black Rhinos (Barbourfields), WhaWha vs Manica Diamonds (Ascot), Triangle vs Bulawayo Chiefs (Gibbo)

— @innocentskizoe