Blunt Bosso seek striker
HIGHLANDERS are hoping to sign FC Platinum’s Stanley Ngala in a bid to change their fortunes on the goal-scoring front.
Bosso are yet to score in the 2021-22 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League edition, having drawn blanks in their 2-0 defeat to Black Rhinos before the nil-all stalemate against Ngezi Platinum Stars last week.
Last year, the Bulawayo giants brought in Washington Navaya and Lynoth Chikuhwa, but the two have not lived up to expectation.
Navaya scored a single goal in Highlanders’ seven games in the Chibuku Super Cup from the group stages to the quarter-finals, while Chikuhwa scored two.
Leading the pack, champions FC Platinum have already banged in eight goals in two games, while Manica Diamonds are on six and Ngezi Platinum on five.
Highlanders gaffer Mandla Mpofu could not be drawn to reveal his targets, but yesterday intimated that the club would be heartily active in the market during the transfer window next month.
“It’s a concern as a team that we are not scoring, but on a good day, those opportunities on Josta (Joel Ngodzo) and Zakhu (Bukhosi Sibanda) were supposed to be goals. We were just unlucky,” he said.
“As a technical team, when things turn out this way and goals are not coming, you go under pressure. We will try and invade the transfer window and see what we can get that can fit into our system.”
Mpofu, however, said there would be challenges getting a player they wanted given the coming transfer window.
“Remember, this is like a mid-season transfer window, where you can’t get more than five players and we have clubs tying up contracts with their players. It will not be easy,” he said.
“The way we started with this COVID-19 was not normal. We have our targets and we have approached them, but the stumbling block could be that they might have running contracts with their clubs.”
The other strikers at Highlanders are Rodi Sibanda, Toto Banda, Keith Mavunga and Mthabisi Ncube.
Sibanda, Banda and Mavunga have struggled for game time, with Banda coming in from the bench on Sunday against Ngezi Platinum at Barbourfields Stadium.
They have a strong attacking midfield that boasts Ngodzo, Sibanda, Divine Mhindirira, Ray Lunga and Godfrey Makaruse, among others.
Their next game is an away fixture against Manica Diamonds at Sakubva Stadium.