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Can Highlanders end their championship drought?

Highlanders teenage sensation Prince Ndlovu was not yet born the last time the Bulawayo giants won the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

Bosso have not won the tittle for nearly two decades, with Mathembe Ndlovu’s class of 2006 the last Tshilamoya side to win it, comfortably —ending the season 15 points ahead of now defunct Motor Action.

Painfully for the Highlanders faithful —arguably the most passionate supporters in the Zimbabwean top-flight, they lost the title to bitter rivals Dynamos on goal difference twice after the 2006 triumph —in 2012 and 2013.

For 17 years the biggest club prize in the land has evaded Bosso, but there is growing belief that the drought might end this season.

Baltemar Brito’s charges are five points at the summit of the table after 16 matches and are yet to taste defeat this season.

Their 1-0 victory over Manica Diamonds at Babourfields Stadium last Sunday —courtesy of a Peter Muduhwa first half free kick —was their fifth victory in succession.

They have put their last three opponents to the sword courtesy of a 1-0 scoreline —Triangle United, Herentals College and Manica Diamonds.

Veteran goalkeeper and captain Ariel Sibanda has already kept 12 clean sheets before the halfway stage of the season, just seven adrift of the total number of shutouts achieved by Ngezi Platinum Stars’ Nelson Chadya last season.

Chadya was voted goalkeeper of the year last year, having kept 19 clean sheets.

This season, Bosso also beat defending champions FC Platinum, to end a near 10-year Premiership jinx against the Zvishavane-based side.

Brito’s troops face Ngezi in a top of the table clash at Baobab this Sunday but the ever confident Portuguese coach is unfazed by the challenge.

“It’s second versus first but to us it is just a normal game of three points,” Brito said when asked about the trip to Ngezi, after the 1-0 victory over Manica Diamonds.

Highlanders’ next five matches;

Ngezi Platinum Stars (away)

ZPC Kariba (away)

Black Rhinos (home)

FC Platinum (away)

Chicken Inn (home)

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