Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
Highlanders have revived hopes of a strong finish to the season after a marked improvement in form under coach Benjani Mwaruwari.
The Bulawayo giants climbed to sixth place on 32 points following their victory over MWOS at the weekend, capping a turnaround after a difficult start to the campaign.
Mwaruwari took charge at the beginning of the season following a quiet transfer window that left many questioning whether Highlanders had the squad depth to compete.
After 20 league matches, the team’s fortunes have changed significantly.
Highlanders collected just 11 points from their opening 10 matches, recording one win, eight draws and one defeat. They also failed to score in five of those matches against MWOS, Simba Bhora, FC Platinum, Scottland and ZPC Kariba.
The club has since accumulated 21 points from its last 10 matches, winning six, drawing three and losing once. Only league leaders Scottland have earned more points over the same period, collecting 26.
The improvement has also been reflected in the attack. Highlanders have failed to score only three times in their last 10 matches, against Manica Diamonds, Ngezi Platinum and TelOne, compared to five scoreless outings in the opening 10 fixtures.
The turnaround has strengthened Highlanders’ prospects of finishing the season strongly as Mwaruwari’s side continues to build momentum.
