Bosso looked to be on their way to their first league title since they last won it 17 years ago when they went on a 19-match unbeaten run but their chances have been diminishing of late and are looking more likely to soon extinguish.
HIGHLANDERS’ playmaker, Devine Mhindirira, has been ruled out for the rest of the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League programme owing to a nagging knee injury.
The Bulawayo giants’ slim hopes of winning the league title have suffered yet another setback as a result of Mhindirira’s injury.
Bosso looked to be on their way to their first league title since they last won it 17 years ago when they went on a 19-match unbeaten run but their chances have been diminishing of late and are looking more likely to soon extinguish.
With five matches remaining they sit on position three on the log table with 48 points, eight behind log-leaders Ngezi Platinum.
Mhindirira is one player who could turn Highlanders’ fortunes but has been dogged by injuries in the 2023 season, and giving an injury update yesterday, the team doctor Shepherd Khumalo broke the news that will break the Bosso faithfuls’ hearts.
“Mhindira has a knee injury. He won't be able to feature in the remaining games,” Khumalo said.
The 2022 Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year finalist broke a toe at the beginning of the season and played a few matches after recovery.
At the beginning of August, Mhindirira played his first game after a long spell against Bulawayo Chiefs in the first round of the Chibuku Super Cup, featured in a league match against Black Rhinos before sustaining a knee injury at training that condemned him to the sidelines since then.
Another key player who was ruled out for the rest of the season after picking up an injury is Darlington Mukuli who was stretchered off the pitch in Highlanders' 2-0 defeat to Chicken Inn at Barbourfields Stadium last month.
Mukuli tore a ligament.
Utility player Godfrey Makaruse also tore a ligament in July at training and was ruled out for the rest of the season and Highlanders de-registered him in the mid-season transfer window but is said to have recovered.
Khumalo yesterday said Makaruse is undergoing rehabilitation.
The good news for Highlanders is that Brighton Manhire, who only played 13 minutes against Chiefs on Sunday and was pulled out due to injury, is likely to be available for the next game against Caps United at BF.
“He has an ankle injury and sprained his medial collateral ligament of the knee, but it's all mild. He is likely to be there in the next match,” Khumalo said.
Mason Mushore bounces back after a long layoff due to an arm injury, is on light training and will embark on full training next week.
After Caps United, Highlanders will travel to Gibbo for Triangle, host Herentals, hit the road for Manica Diamonds and end the season back against title favourites Ngezi Platinum.
