SIMBA Bhora coach Joel Luphahla is not taking any chances.
Despite his team sitting at the top of the league table and their weekend opponents, Kwekwe United, languishing at the very bottom, Luphahla has labelled their clash a “potential banana skin”.
For most, the match tomorrow at Wadzanayi Stadium seems a foregone conclusion.
Simba Bhora, the defending league champions, are leading the pack with 50 points, a single point ahead of their closest rivals, Scottland.
A win against the struggling Kwekwe United would be the perfect opportunity to solidify their position at the top, with just nine matches remaining.
But for Luphahla, the easy victory everyone expects is exactly what makes the game so dangerous.
“It’s going to be difficult,” the coach predicted at the team’s weekly pre-match Press conference.
“Difficult because we are on top and they are at the bottom. So sometimes attitude can be misplaced.”
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Luphahla has spent the entire week combating this potential complacency.
He said the right attitude starts with him.
“If you show the players that you are complacent, they will also follow,” he said.
“So from the first day of training this week, we have changed the face and tried to be more serious.
“But also, you cannot be too serious, otherwise you will bring a lot of anxiety to the team.”
The stakes could not be higher for both sides.
For Simba Bhora, a slip-up could cost them their title defence.
They know that any dropped points, especially against a beatable side like Kwekwe, could be the difference between glory and disappointment at the end of the season.
The Midlands side, on the other hand, is fighting for its life.
With just nine points from 25 matches, their Premiership fate is all but sealed.
Despite the vast gulf in quality and league position, Luphahla is not underestimating his opponents.
He believes the struggling side may have a hidden motivation to upset the champions.
“We are trying our best to make sure that the boys are motivated because in such kind of games, you will find that Kwekwe could be more motivated to beat us,” the Simba Bhora mentor said.
“We want to try and counter that and make sure that the boys are self-motivated apart from money and everything.
“We want to try and instil that attitude that of champions, that we are the defending champions.”
Luphahla insists on treating Kwekwe United with the same respect he gives to every other team.
“These kinds of games are the potential banana skin games whereby where if we are not careful, we might find ourselves in the wrong end,” he said.
“We are not going to disrespect Kwekwe. They are a good side. I have watched most of the games.”
He has, however, identified some tactical and technical weaknesses in the Kwekwe United set-up.
“Before they concede, they are always playing good football ... when they concede, they are also trying to come back into the game and that’s
where they lose a little bit of shape. But they are a good side and they are deadly on set pieces.”
The pressure to maintain their top position is a constant for the team.
“I know on paper that people think that this should be one of the easiest of games. But for me, I take this as the most difficult game,” Luphahla said.
“That we need to cross the line and make sure that we don’t get embarrassed. We make sure that we collect the points.”
Luphahla is also counting on the unwavering support of the home crowd.
Simba Bhora remain undefeated at home this season in the league, a record they hope to maintain with the help of their faithful supporters.
“We want to give the people of Shamva something to smile about. They have always come out in numbers to support us ... a win is the only thing that we can give them back.”
The former Dynamos assistant coach has vowed to field his strongest possible squad, refusing to take any risks against the league’s minnows as he and his team look to make another giant step towards a successful defence of their title.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League matchday 26 fixtures
Today: Yadah v Ngezi Platinum (Heart)
Tomorrow: TelOne v Chicken Inn (Ascot), FC Platinum v Caps United (Mandava), Simba Bhora v Kwekwe United (Wadzanayi), Herentals v Scottland (Rufaro), ZPC Kariba v Triangle (Nyamhunga)
Sunday: Manica Diamonds v MWOS (Sakubva), Dynamos v Green Fuel (Rufaro), Bikita Minerals v Highlanders (Gibbo)
