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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS Football Club, who failed to procure on time player licences for some of their new players, should have a full complement of their squad when they face Black Rhinos FC at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday.

When Bosso faced ZPC Kariba in their opening match of the season at Barbourfields Stadium last Sunday, striker Calvin Chigonero, midfielder Brighton Manhire and defender Marvelous Chigumira were not part of the match day squad as their licences were not available.

Brighton Manhire

The decision to drop the unlicensed players is said to have been made late on Saturday evening which suggests the coaches could have been forced to make last minute changes to the team line up. Other new players, Melikhaya Ncube and McKinnon Mushore managed to make the match day squad. Ncube started the match while Mushore came in as a second-half substitute.

Sources close to proceedings at Highlanders confirmed that some of the players did not have licences hence could not feature against ZPC Kariba. The problem is said to have been addressed and all players now have licences.

Bosso badly missed Chigonero, scorer of 17 goals in the Zifa Southern Region when he was turning out for FC Talen Vision as their strikers fired blanks. Chigonero was loaned to Amahlolanyama this season.

Contacted for comment Bosso communications officer Nozibelo Maphosa could neither confirm nor deny the player licence challenge.

“The coaches decide who makes the squad and everyone in the squad is available for selection if they impress the coaches at training,” said Maphosa.

Zifa are the licensing authority and they said they have so far not received a single complaint on player registration.

Marvelous Chigumira

“If a club is not happy with the licencing of players, they engage us and so far we have not received a single complaint,’’ said Zifa acting general secretary, Xolisani Gwesela.

Zifa do the licencing of players on behalf of PSL who referred questions on registration to the national association.
PSL communications officer Kudzai Bare said: “Zifa are the people to talk to regarding this issue.”

Besides the players, Highlanders also had second assistant coach, Antonio Torres and strikers’ coach Joel Luphahla on the terraces during the match against ZPC Kariba, suggesting that they did not have accreditation to be in the technical zone. This weekend, Bosso travel to Harare where they face bogey side Black Rhinos on Saturday.

Calvin Chigonero

After that Highlanders will play three tough matches against FC Platinum, Chicken Inn and Dynamos and all the matches will be at Barbourfields Stadium.

Match Day Two fixtures
Saturday: Ngezi Platinum v Caps United (Baobab), FC Platinum v Cranborne Bullets (Mandava), Chicken Inn v Simba Bhora (Luveve), Black Rhinos v Highlanders (NSS), Green Fuel v Herentals (Gibbo)
Sunday: Dynamos v Sheasham (NSS), Manica Diamonds v Triangle (Gibbo), Yadah v Hwange (Baobab)
Monday: ZPC Kariba v Bulawayo Chiefs (NSS).— @innocentskizoe