HIGHLANDERS’ top striker Lynoth Chikuhwa says he will not put himself under pressure to compete for the Golden Boot but will take it game by game to the end and if he grabs the honours it will be a bonus.
The Bulawayo giants are away to Chicken Inn in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League derby at their ceremonial home ground Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
With five games to go before the 2021/2022 season winds up, Chikuhwa is number three on the scorers’ chart with 10 goals, trailing leading scorer William Manondo of Caps United by five goals.
Chicken Inn’s Brian Muza, on the second spot, is on 11 goals as his side face Highlanders today.
Chikuhwa says he is not in any competition and he is not eyeing the Golden Boot.
“I am not in any race with that guy (Manondo). I am just playing my normal football. I won’t put myself under pressure because there are five games left. If I win it then it will be that,” Chikuhwa said.
The striker has been coming from the bench lately and he reckons those are the coaches’ plans and there is nothing he can do about it.
“Nothing is happening in my mind. It is the game plan and it is from the coaches. I don’t have any choice that I can make; I just follow protocol. As the team’s top goal scorer I am not under any pressure, whether starting in the first 11 or being on the bench doesn’t change anything. I can start from the bench and come in and make a change,” he said.
And that he did against FC Platinum when he came in the second half and gave the Zvishavane-based side headaches but would not get that goal as Highlanders went down 3-2.
He had this to say on the game against Chicken Inn: “Everything in camp is okay. I cannot say much. It’s a derby. For us to make things simple for Highlanders is to win this game.”
Muza, for Chicken Inn might not be part of the Chicken Inn squad tomorrow as he is nursing a knee injury sustained at training over a week ago, forcing him to even miss the Bulawayo City game last Saturday.
The striker said the injury was a blow for him in the race for the Golden Boot award.
“I feel I am still in contention for the Golden Boot but with this injury, it might not be possible,” Muza said.
Manondo with his Caps United will be at Rusape Stadium this afternoon as the Green Machine is away to Cranborne Bullets at Vengere Stadium.
Other scorers of note in the league this season are Black Rhinos’ Eli Ilunga with nine goals at par with Dynamos’ Emmanuel Paga and Nyasha Chintuli of Manica Diamonds.
It looks like no one will breach the 20-goal mark once again as the 2019 Golden Boot winner Clive Augusto netted 14 goals and left mid-way through the season for Maritzburg in South Africa.
The 20-goal mark was last surpassed by Norman Maroto in 2010 when he scored 22 goals while playing for Gunners.