The Sunday Mail
Makomborero Mutimukulu
Highlanders have dropped goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya from the team that will face Caps United in today’s league clash at Barbourfields.
The goalminder is paying the price for an uncharacteristic howler that handed Chicken Inn a late equaliser in the midweek 1-all draw.
News coming from the Bosso camp last night indicates that the technical team reckons the goalkeeper is not in the right frame of mind after having everything, including the kitchen sink thrown at him, after the Chicken Inn boob.
With Diya out of the team, Ariel Sibanda is favourite to guard the Bosso goal with Njabulo Nyoni on the bench.
Having played second fiddle to Diya for most of last year, Sibanda will be eager to prove his worth against a bubbly Caps United outfit. The last time they met, the side in green and white ended the game with a man short, a point in the bag and very heavy hearts.
Makepekepe felt robbed after a goalless draw, which ensured that they collected four points from Bosso, at the same venue in July last year. Their coach Taurai Mangwiro would have taken a point, if it was offered to him before that heated game.
However, after watching defender Arnold Chivheya sent off under questionable circumstances and a seemingly legitimate penalty call waved away by referee Philani Ncube, the gaffer and his troops were up in arms. Most neutrals agreed with them, but the Bosso faithful accused the Green Machine of being cry babies. A lot has changed since that duel but as Caps United make the trip to Bulawayo to face a Bosso outfit with nine points from a possible 15, their skipper Tapuwa Khumbuyani says their last visit to BF made them stronger. Khumbuyani was on target as Caps United bounced back from last weekend’s 1-2 fall away to FC Platinum with a similar score triumph over a battling Triangle at the National Sports Stadium in midweek.
He should take up his favoured right back position again today with Hardlife Zvirekwi slotting just in front of him.
“It will be a massive game,” says Khumbuyani.
“Highlanders would love to prove a point because they are playing at home. On our part we also have a point to prove as we seek to build on our win over Triangle.
“Events that unfolded during that game last year have obviously made us wiser and stronger, but as Caps United we don’t believe in talking about match officials.
“We believe in playing our normal game.”
Bosso come into the tie with their form guide showing five played, two won and three drawn.
Two of those draws have come in the last two matches, against Hwange and across town rivals Chicken Inn.
Last season’s league runners-up have found the net nine times from five outings this season, but they will be the first to admit that they should have hit double figures already.
The lack of a proven marksman could prove to be Bosso’s Achilles’ heel once again this season.
