BY FORTUNE MBELE
HIGHLANDERS continue their arduous quest for an away win in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League when they hit the road to the capital where they clash with Yadah at the National Sports Stadium this afternoon.
Madinda Ndlovu was the last Highlanders coach to win a league game away from Barbourfields Stadium in July 2018, when the Bulawayo giants beat Triangle 1-0 at Gibbo Stadium.
Mandla Mpofu took over on an interim basis in June 2019 and failed to influence a win away from home, same as Dutchman Pieter de Jongh who was appointed substantive coach a few months later.
Mpofu was appointed substantive coach and when the 2021-2022 season started in November last year, he failed to win a game away from Emagumeni until he was fired in May.
His successor, Portuguese national Baltemar Brito then took over, playing four away matches in the league, his only success away from home being the 1-0 win over Tringale in the Chibuku Super Cup.
Brito itches for that moment Highlanders will clinch his first three points on the road.
“We want to come back with the three points, but we are not disrespecting Yadah. We have a lot of respect for Yadah, but we need the motivation to come back with the three points. We watched Yadah on Saturday against Bulawayo City. They had been doing well until the Bulawayo City game. They went six or seven games without a defeat. We know that it will be a difficult game like all the games in Zimbabwe because all the games are competitive. All the teams want to get maximum points,” he said.
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“Yadah have the fighting spirit to get the points, but so we have a challenge to win our first away game in the Premier Soccer League because we won in the Chibuku, which is a different competition. We are going to a beautiful stadium, the national stadium with a good turf and we are going there to try and win.”
Highlanders welcome back central defender and vice-captain Peter Muduhwa, who missed Sunday’s blockbuster league tie against Caps United due to suspension.
Adrian Silla, Muziwakhe Dlamini and Pritchard Mpelele are available for this afternoon’s game.
Despite losing 2-0 to Bulawayo City, Yadah gave a good account of themselves.
Fixtures
Today; Yadah v Highlanders (NSS)
Saturday; Cranborne v WhaWha (Vengere), Chicken Inn v Ngezi Platinum (Luveve), Caps United v Herentals (NSS), FC Platinum v Manica Diamonds (Mandava)
Sunday; Tenax v ZPC Kariba (Vengere), Bulawayo Chiefs v Black Rhinos (Luveve), Triangle v Bulawayo City (Gibbo), Dynamos v Harare City (NSS).
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