Innocent Kurira
Sports Reporter
KELVIN Kaindu says Highlanders belong to the fans of the club.
The Premiership’s oldest football club are just two years short of celebrating their Century.
The Zambian coach wants to see fans turning Barbourfields into a fortress for Bosso.
Kaindu is hoping the fans will come in their numbers to rally behind the team wheh they host Chegutu Pirates at Barbourfields on Sunday.
“Highlanders cannot do without the fans. I think they are the driving force. We enjoyed the support they gave the team in Gweru.
“They came in numbers, even after the game they were celebrating with us.
“And, we are hoping and praying the crowd will be there to motivate and encourage the team.”
Kaindu is determined to improve his team’s scoring rate in the Castle Lager Premiership this season and wants every member of his team to score.
Highlanders missed out on the title last season despite going on a 19-match unbeaten run with the lack of goals being one of their major shortcomings.
Last season Bosso scored their least number of goals in a PSL season, in which they found the net just 24 times in 34 matches.
This was the worst strike rate by the club since the introduction of the Premier League in 1993.
Bosso won the inaugural championship and scored 53 goals from 30 matches in an Adam Ndlovu-inspired attack.
Last season, Highlanders started the season well with a water-tight defence but were poor in attack.
Goals were scarce and most were from set pieces.
This season, Kaindu has been seeing some positives in front of goal.
Highlanders have scored six goals in four matches with strikers Brighton Ncube and Lynoth Chikuhwa among the scorers.
The other goals have been scored by Archford Faira and Melikhaya Ncube, who is now on two goals.
Chikuhwa has been on target twice while Ncube has scored once.
Kaindu, speaking ahead of their encounter with Chegutu Pirates on Sunday, said:
“We don’t want to rely just on our strikers in terms of scoring. We want everybody in the team to score. If you have a game and two of your strikers are on target, I think it’s an improvement.
“It is a bit too early for us to talk about progress.
“I think credit needs to be given to where it is showing that in the last games we had two strikers finding the target.”
Fixtures
Tomorrow
Arenel Movers v Bikita Minerals (Luveve Stadium), FC Platinum v CAPS United (Mandava Stadium), ZPC Kariba v Herentals (Nyamhunga Stadium), GreenFuel v Ngezi Platinum (GreenFuel Arena), Yadah v Simba Bhora (TBA)
Sunday
Manica Diamonds v Chicken Inn (Sakubva Stadium), Highlanders v Chegutu Pirates (B/fields Stadium), Hwange v Telone (Colliery Stadium)
Dynamos v Bulawayo Chiefs (TBA)