……Linyama or Mutuma…
A mouth watering encounter is on the cards this afternoon at Morris Depot stadium as the Army side Black Rhinos host the Bulawayo Giants Highlanders fc in a match that is set to produce fireworks.
By MILTON MASHASHA Sports Reporter in Byo, Zim.
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. (News of The South)
The resurgent Black Rhinos under the reigns of Stix Mtizwa who seem to be on the right direction to challenge for honours,has transformed Rhinos to one of the strongest team in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League in the 2017 season.Black Rhinos has so far played 11 games,one behind the log leaders Ngezi Platinum fc who are seating on 26 points in 12 matches with only 3 points separating the two teams.In the matches played so far in the league,Rhinos has only conceded 4 goals which shows their capabilities and the calibre of players in their squad.
Rhinos have got a pool of average players who can force the outcome to their advantage,they can stand the heat.They have got seasoned players in the mould of Lot Chiunga,Herbert Rusawo,Benjamini Marere,Farai Banda,Wilson Chakanyuka,Bruce
Homora,Brighton Chandisaita,Wonder Kapinda,James Salim, Milton Kureva,Jameson Mukombwe and Sydney Linyama.A class of veterans who has seen it all in the top flight league.
Also,Rhinos has in their squad the likes of Pride Mukombwe,Douglas Mbewe,Wasilli Yusuf,Lincoln Saramaya,Brian Makoni,Emmanuel Katiza just to mention but a few.Rhinos is a formidable side of which Highlanders need to be cautious to come out victors at Morris Depot.It is not going to be an easy task,moreover Rhinos had been Highlanders’s bogey side prior to their demotion to the inferior league division one.It is yet to be seen whether Erol Akbay’s strikers will unlock the rock solid Black Rhinos defence that usually comprises of the inform towering Sydney Linyama,Jameson Mukombwe and Farai Banda.
Akbay bubbling with confidence after his two main forwards Prince and Rodrick, both scoring in their previous assignment against Triangle winning that one by 2-0 at Barbourfields and hopes they will transform that scoring form in today’s match.
The former Dynamos pair of Sydney Linyama and Rodrick Mutuma who were both expelled and shown the exit by the Lloyd Mutasa led technical department with amid revelation of indiscipline,were given a new lease of life in their respective clubs Black Rhinos and Highlanders.They are outstanding,doing extremely well.The sterling performance by Sydney Linyama earned him a call to the national team where he sat on the bench against Liberia on Sunday.The duo will face each other this afternoon since their move to their new clubs.
The Highlanders fc rear guard that is likely to include Bukhosi Ncube,Honest Moyo,Peter Muduhwa and Tendai Ndlovu must be at their best to shut up the Black Rhinos trio Milton Kureva,Benjamin Marere and the forceful striker Lot Chiunga who are likely to cause all sorts of problems to(the bosso defence) them.
Moreso, Black Rhinos normal capitalise mostly on set pieces whereby their gangly centre back Sydney Linyama uses his height to get crucial goals for the Army side.Whereas on the other hand Black Rhinos need to be very organised in the middle of the park where Highlanders have got talented ball artistry,distributors and winners in the form of Rahman Kutsanzira,King Nadolo,Simon Munawa,Allen Gahadzikwa Tendai Ngulube and Eric Mudzingwa.
It is likely that the match will be won in the middle of the park.Ironically,Erol Akbay would like to win the match in compensation of the 3 points which were awarded to their archrivals Dynamos fc after abondonement of the match due to crowd trouble at Barbourfields stadium on May 14.
Highlanders survived another scare of losing another set of points after the disciplinary committee released the judgement yesterday for the abandoned match against FC Platinum at Mandava,which partly read “Highlanders fc were found not guilty for abandonment of the match” but subsequently they were found guilty of missiles throwing which leaves a debatable decision by the Disciplinary Board.
Meanwhile,log leaders Ngezi Platinum fc face the rejuvenated Dynamos fc on Thursday evening at the Giant National Sports Stadium,both teams are coached by former Dynamos players Lloyd Mutasa and Tonderai Ndiraya with the former who looks like has got a winning formula for the glamour boys,winning against Harare City,ZPC Kariba and the recent fixture against Tsholotsho at Beitbridge,Dulibadzimu stadium.Mutasa will be banking on Ntouba Epoupa Christian Joel,Emmanuel Mandiranga and Quality Kangadze whilst his counterpart Tonderai Ndiraya will be hoping Liberty Chakoroma,Patson Jaure,Terrence Dzukamanja,Dominic Mukandi, Walter Mukanga and their talisman,the dribbling pint sized attacker Donald Teguru will carry the day for the team.
Ngezi would want to win the match to keep their spot at the apex of the log standing whilst the Harare Giants would also want to win too, to put pressure and close the gap with the early league pacetters,after getting bonus points that elevated them close to the summit from their abandoned match against Highlanders.
Hence,the battle will be at Morris Depot this afternoon,where Rhinos will be hoping to add misery to Bosso after their regular appearance in the Disciplinary Committee within a space of weeks automatically dumping them out of the mostly discipline team award at the end of the season.
The Army side is likely to use their endurance to suffocate Erol Akbay’s men and catch them on the counter attack.Highlanders has got a mobile attacking midfield which needs a tactical mind for their downfall of which the only way for Black Rhinos is to bypass the midfield thereby employing swift counter attacks.
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