CHAMPIONS Ngezi Platinum Stars will be looking to score their first goal in the league in four matches when they take on Bulawayo giants Highlanders at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
The Mhondoro-Ngezi-based side has played four nil-all draws in their last four matches as they slowly slip out of the championship race and will need a big performance against Bosso to revive their title defence.
A good show will also boost the morale and confidence of the team ahead of their maiden Caf Champions League dance which begins next week.
Takesure Chiragwi’s side kick off the Champions league with a preliminary first round tie against AS Maniema Union from the DRC at their adopted home, the National Heroes Stadium in Zambia on Saturday.
But first, the team has to overcome a Highlanders hurdle as well as a poor goal scoring form.
“We need to prepare for the next game against Highlanders. We will try and make sure that we work on our grey area, which is getting the ball behind the net. But obviously we understand that we were missing some key players who were injured. We had to be forced to make some changes that had an impact on our performance,” Chiragwi said after his team was held to a goalless draw at home to GreenFuel last week.
Ngezi Platinum Stars will be tempted to field a weakened side to protect some of their key players, who missed out due to injury with eyes in the champions league tie.
Senior players such as top marksman Obriel Chirinda, Moses Demera, Farai Madhanaga and Carlos Mavurume were missing from the matchday squad.
- Chicken Inn lose again, Bullets boost survival hopes
- Chiefs take aim at Ngezi
- Brito confident of upstaging FC Platinum
- ZPC Kariba thumps Manica Diamonds
Keep Reading
The Zimbabwe champions have struggled against Highlanders in recent years and have failed to win in the last seven league meetings between the two teams.
Their last win over Bosso came in September 2018, when they pulled off a 2-1 victory at Barbourfields.
But since then, Bosso has won two of the seven meetings while the other five matches ended in a share of the spoils.
Highlanders go into the match in better form having won three of their last five matches and were 2-1 winners against Chegutu Pirates at Baobab stadium last week.
Ngezi Platinum are currently sitting in third place in the league with 37 points from 22 matches, one ahead of Highlanders in fourth place ahead of this weekend’s matches.
