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6 months ago
Will Scottland Run Riot?
H-Metro Sport
THE Castle Lager Premiership continues this weekend
Scottland are hosts for the third time this season and it is the first time that they are not playing on a Friday, having done so against Triangle and Ngezi Platinum on their opening two home games.
This time they host lowly Bikita Minerals at Rufaro tomorrow seeking to make a statement amid high expectations from both their own fans and rivals.
With the high-profile attack players on their books, Scottland are yet to hit the heights with coach Tonderai Ndiraya saying he still needs time to put together a team despite having a solid squad.
In his first season with a squad re-assembled during the off-season, Ndiraya has been trying to establish a constant line-up as he gets to unpack what is at his disposal, but injuries have not been helpful.
Expectations amongst fans is that Scottland will be harvesting goals in most of their matches based on the squad they have but so far, they have not been able to impose themselves early and, as a result, their best performance was a 2-0 win over CAPS United on Week 2.
The result took Scottland top of the Premiership standings.
In the four matches so far, Scottland have managed just four goals and all of them have come in the second half -three of them in injury time.
When they take to the field against second-from-bottom Bikita Minerals tomorrow, expectations will be high that they will find the target in the first half for the first time this season.
Winless Bikita Minerals currently have the league’s second worst defence after conceding six goals in four matches and for Ndiraya, complacency will be a bigger challenge to deal with.
MWOS SET FOR SUMMIT
Newcomers MWOS will start as favourites when they host ZPC Kariba at the Baobab Stadium tomorrow, a week after surrendering pole position to Ngezi Platinum following a hardfought goalless draw away to FC Platinum.
MWOS, who joined the Premiership at the last minute, did not assemble the squad they would have wanted given that they were set for another dance in the Northern Region Soccer League until ZPC Hwange were forced to surrender their franchise on a technicality.
Coach Lloyd Mutasa has had to deal with a modest squad despite the club’s financial resources and will be working on a solid foundation ahead of the mid-season transfer window where they look set to make meaningful squad adjustments.
For now, former Bulawayo Chiefs and Simba Bhora hitman Billy Vheremu will be leading MWOS’ challenge with the solid ZPC Kariba defensive system his next hurdle tomorrow afternoon.
Failure to win will most likely see MWOS surrender their Top Two ranking at the end of tomorrow’s programme.
For the record, ZPC Kariba have conceded just one goal in four matches to date with clean sheets in the other three matches.
WILL MANICA DIAMONDS JOLT DYNAMOS?
Dynamos finally won a match last weekend as they beat defending champions, Simba Bhora at Rufaro and they will have their tails up when they travel to Sakubva tomorrow for a date against Manica Diamonds.
The hosts will present a tough test for Dynamos coach, Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe who is fully aware that last Sunday’s 1-0 win over his former assistant, Joel Luphahla will seem a fluke if they are to drop points in Mutare.
Dynamos currently lack firepower upfront hence their success story has been the defence so far with three clean sheets in four games.
