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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League anchors Bulawayo Chiefs’ preparations for today’s encounter against ZPC Kariba have been plagued by injuries, with six key players set to miss the clash.

Chiefs play host to ZPC Kariba at Luveve Stadium this afternoon without speedster Farawu Matare, central midfielder Shepard Mhlanga, attacking linkman Clement Makamba, utility player Moses Majika, forward Nigel Papius and defender Felix Moyo.

Chiefs, who earned themselves the “giant killers” tag in 2018 when they shocked FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars, Highlanders and Chicken Inn, are hard-pressed for a win after losing their opening two matches of the season.

They lost their opening game of the season 5-0 to Chapungu, a result that saw Chiefs management ringing technical changes by parting ways with coach Joseph Sibindi and recalling Thulani Sibanda.

Chiefs went on to lose 1-0 to Premiership newboys, TelOne in a match that they could have stolen a point.

ZPC Kariba will be out to extend their winning streak to three games, after bouncing back from a 3-1 loss to Chicken Inn in their season opener to beat Herentals and TelOne by 1-0 score lines.

Chiefs are aware of the job at hand, having lost 2-0 to ZPC Kariba at the same venue last season before winning 2-1 in Nyamhunga in the reverse fixture.

“It’s a tricky game because we really need to get a positive result. ZPC Kariba are a good side and in as much as we have a depleted squad due to injuries, we just have to come up with a game plan that can at least get us a point. We’re in a precarious position and being at the bottom of the table at this point of the season is not what we had envisaged. The players know that they have to up their game and fight to get us out of this mud soon,” Sibanda said.

Chiefs will, among other players, bank on goalkeeper David Bizabani, defenders Lee Matizirofa, Marlvin Mkolo and young left-back Brendon Mpofu, midfielders Mengezi Dube and Lucky Ndlela as well as striker Kundishora Chakanyuka in today’s game.

ZPC Kariba have a competitive side that has goalkeeper Tendai Hove, defenders Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe and Blessing Zuberi, midfielders Tsepo Ranthokoane and Nigel Makumbe as well as forwards David Temwanjira and Tawanda Nyamandwe.

While Chiefs and ZPC Kariba lock horns, TelOne will be trying to steady themselves against Yadah, who are still searching for their first win of the season.

The pick of today’s games is the Ngezi Platinum Stars and Chicken Inn encounter at Baobab Stadium. Since Ngezi’s promotion into the topflight league in 2016, Chicken Inn have never won a game at Baobab.

The Gamecocks have lost two out of three games played in Ngezi, a jinx that they hope to break as they continue with their title charge.

Match Day Four fixtures

Today: Yadah v TelOne (Rufaro), Bulawayo Chiefs v ZPC Kariba (Luveve), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Chicken Inn (Baobab)

Tomorrow: Black Rhinos v Caps United (Rufaro), FC Platinum v Hwange (Mandava)

Sunday: Chapungu v Harare City (Mandava)

Monday: Dynamos v Herentals (Rufaro), Manica Diamond v Mushowani Stars (Gibbo), Highlanders v Triangle United (Barbourfields). — @ZililoR.