Lawrence Moyo , Head Zimpapers Sport
HIGHLANDERS FC’s freefall in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League has been spectacular and, while the non-playing stakeholders still believe, they are slowly giving up on the title race which now seemingly pits Ngezi Platinum against champions FC Platinum.
On Saturday, Highlanders suffered a 0-3 defeat to Premier League newcomers Simba Bhora at the Baobab Stadium in what was their heaviest defeat so far this season.
After 19 games, Highlanders were unbeaten and five points clear of second-placed Ngezi Platinum but seven games later the miners are now six points ahead of Bosso –an 11-point swing in under two months.
Highlanders have managed just one win in the completed six matches since the defeat at Mandava and that was a 2-0 success over Yadah on September 17.
There are still eight more rounds of matches with 24 points at stake for each of the 18 teams and Highlanders’ own collapse is evidence that things will never be what they seem until the final whistle.
Mid-August Highlanders were not tipped for the title alone, they were also being challenged to finish the season unbeaten having gone 19 without a loss and having conceded just four goals.
Two things then happened.
The first was a revelation by coach Brito Baltemar that he had applied for the Warriors job, which triggered concerns from some sections of the Highlanders family who felt this would result in unnecessary distractions at a time things were flowing nicely.
In the same week that Brito spoke of his interest in the Warriors job, they visited defending champions FC Platinum for the 20th match of the promising season.
The match ended 2-0 in favour of FC Platinum, who ended a miserable run of six winless matches, including three successive home defeats at Mandava.
FC Platinum’s season was transformed and they now have the BEST record in the league over the seven-game period between Week 20 and Week 26, four points better than current leaders Ngezi Platinum.
Norman Mapeza’s charges now pose the biggest threat to Takesure Chiragwi’s table toppers, Ngezi Platinum.
The Week 20 match at Mandava was the first time this season that Highlanders conceded two goals in a single match as the four goals in 19 games before the trip to Zvishavane had come from four matches against FC Platinum (2-1), Cranborne Bullets (1-1), Greenfuel (1-1) and CAPS United (2-1).
A week later Highlanders were back at Barbourfields against city rivals, Chicken Inn and a repeat of the Mandava disaster happened –another two goals conceded.
So in back-to-back matches inside a week, Highlanders had conceded the same number of goals as in the previous 19 matches across five months.
They were trailing by two goals again a week later in the Battle of Zimbabwe clash away to Dynamos at Barbourfields when the match was abandoned after 38 minutes due to crowd trouble.
The matter awaits a Premier Soccer League Disciplinary Committee ruling.
In the six completed matches since the trip to Zvishavane, Highlanders have the league’s WORST record and sit bottom with just four points and, based on precedence, they will not be expecting to improve on the record when the ruling is delivered.
In the six completed matches, Bosso managed just three goals (0.5 goals a game) while conceding nine (1.5 goals per game).
Only bottom-placed Cranborne Bullets have performed worse than Highlanders in front of goal in the period between Week 20 and Week 26 as they have found the target only once, a 1-0 win over Simba Bhora at the National Sports Stadium on Week 25.
Conceding nine goals in the last six completed matches gives Highlanders the second WORST defensive record, which might get worse via the boardroom.
As things stand, only Bulawayo Chiefs and ZPC Kariba have done worse after conceding 10 goals in seven matches between Week 20 and Week 26.
Despite the disappointing run, there is still belief that the situation can be salvaged in the remaining eight matchdays starting with this weekend’s home clash with bottom-placed Cranborne Bullets at Barbourfields on Sunday.
In a solidarity message to Highlanders, the club’s Harare Chapter said the season is not yet over and there is still a title race within reach.
“You’re aware that as it stands our fans, different stakeholders and supporters in general are not happy with the current status of our great Club. We have been on the downward trajectory which we can only but hope will end sooner than later.
“However, as Harare Chapter we take this opportunity to encourage you and motivate you to keep on. We have to stay focused because it’s not yet over. Our team, the team of the nation shall be victorious.
“Many a time we point fingers at each other, criticise more that we can motivate. It is for that reason that we have chosen to say ‘let’s keep moving’.
“Be courageous and encouraged by this little pamphlet from the 12th player based in Harare and its surroundings. Remember these sentiments are also echoed by many others all over the country and beyond. Do not tire, as you go onto the battlefield on your next game know that even if things have not been going the way we all expected them to, it’s important to pick ourselves up and focus on moving forward with a positive mindset.
“Lingadinwa bafana, keep fighting, wear that Bosso armour with pride. A soldier may fall but never does he remain down forever. WE MIGHT HAVE LOST SOME FEW BATTLES BUT THE WAR IS STILL ON AND OURS TO WIN. THE TITLE IS OURS!
“Noma kanjani, siyinqaba,” reads the statement.
Last week, Highlanders chairman Johnfat Sibanda called for calm following a disappointing 1-1 draw against newcomers, Sheasham.
Just like the Harare Chapter of the club supporters, Sibanda holds the belief the league is still within reach and the campaign is not done yet.
“Now is the time for the followers to show they love the team. We are going through a difficult time but we can still rise. Our message to the fans is they should rally behind the team at this moment. We still have a number of games to go, we can still get results and finish in a respectable position,” said Sibanda.
WEEK 27 FIXTURES
Saturday: Black Rhinos v Greenfuel (Bata), Bulawayo Chiefs v Simba Bhora (Luveve), Herentals v Yadah (NSS), Manica Diamonds v Dynamos (Gibbo), Ngezi Platinum v Chicken Inn (Baobab), ZPC Kariba v FC Platinum (Nyamhunga)
Sunday: CAPS United v Sheasham (NSS), Highlanders v Cranborne Bullets (Barbourfields), Triangle v Hwange (Gibbo)
LATEST STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
Ngezi Platinum 26 15 6 5 35 16 51
FC Platinum 26 13 7 6 29 20 46
Highlanders 25 12 9 4 19 13 45
Manica Diamonds 26 12 7 7 33 18 43
Dynamos 25 10 10 5 27 11 40
Chicken Inn 26 9 13 4 26 19 40
Herentals College 26 10 9 7 28 25 39
Hwange 26 9 7 10 21 21 34
Simba Bhora 26 7 11 8 22 18 32
Bulawayo Chiefs 26 8 8 10 30 31 32
Greenfuel 26 9 5 12 19 27 32
Caps United 26 7 9 10 22 22 30 Sheasham 26 6 12 8 14 24 30
Yadah 26 9 3 14 23 35 30
Zpc Kariba 26 8 6 12 18 33 30
Triangle 26 4 14 8 17 28 26
Black Rhinos 26 5 8 13 19 30 23
Cranborne Bullets 26 5 6 15 12 23 21
