Mutiwekuziva eyes third spot as Ngezi host Highlanders at Baobab

Ngezi Platinum Stars head coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva believes his side has used the two-week FIFA international break to full effect ahead of their Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Week 30 encounter against Highlanders at Baobab Stadium this afternoon.

Ngezi were not in action in last weekend’s ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup quarter-finals, having already been eliminated from the competition, and the extended rest has given Madamburo time to recover and regroup.

Speaking to Fanzone ahead of the tie, Mutiwekuziva says his charges are ready for a stern test.

“Preparations have gone well in the past weeks and we have recovered enough because of the FIFA international break,” he said. “We expect a tough match because Highlanders is a big team in our local league.”

The fixture comes at a crucial time in the context of the top four race.

Ngezi head into Week 30 in fourth place on 49 points from 29 games, boasting 12 wins, 13 draws and just four defeats, the second-fewest losses in the league.

They are just two points behind third-placed Dynamos FC, who dropped valuable points yesterday after being held by relegation-threatened Triangle United.

That slip has opened the door for Madamburo, and victory over Bosso tomorrow would see them leapfrog Dynamos into third with five games left to play.

Highlanders, meanwhile, sit seventh on 42 points from 29 matches with nine wins, 15 draws and five losses.

Benjani Mwaruwari’s men have been one of the hardest sides to beat this season.

With the stakes so high, Mutiwekuziva is clear about what his side must achieve in the final stretch starting today with the Bosso test.

“Our immediate objective is to finish the season well and achieve a top four finish,” he explains. “We aim for maximum points to overcome our rivals in the final stretch of the league games.”

With Herentals College on 48 points and CAPS United on 47 right on their heels, Ngezi cannot afford any slip-ups, and the coach knows home advantage will be key.

“Now that it’s the final stretch every point counts and home advantage matters most,” Mutiwekuziva added. “We now need to utilise it collecting maximum points so that our objective is achievable,” added Mutiwekuziva.

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