LIMPOPO – Sparks are expected to fly when Black Leopards welcome relegated Jomo Cosmos to the Thohoyandou Stadium this Saturday for a First Division league encounter.
Leopards are still licking the wounds inflicted by AmaZulu who handed them a 2-1 defeat in their season opener.
Meanwhile, the visitors will be in the former Venda homeland trying to pick up the pieces after they were condemned to the lower division following their dismal showing in the 2015/16 Absa Premiership League.
In their first match in the NFD campaign, Ezinkosi managed to salvage a 1-all draw with FC Cape Town.
Under the tutelage of coach, Jomo Sono, Cosmos will not only have to deal with the sweltering heat of the Vhembe district, but will face off with a team that has just bolstered its playing personnel during the transfer open season.
Cosmos defenders should arm themselves to keep Black Leopards striker, Roggert Nyundu, who has set his sights on scoring 25 goals this season, at bay.
The 28-year-old opened his account in the 2-1 loss to AmaZulu in the first round of the NFD fixtures.
“There’s no one who is going to stop me. I still have unfinished business with the NFD. I don’t want people to say Nyundu was there and disappeared; I want to leave a legacy,” said Nyundu.
He netted eight goals in an injury-affected campaign last term, having hit 19 in all competitions the season before. Nyundu, who narrowly missed out on joining Bidvest Wits, believes PSL teams will come calling if he continues to do damage upfront.
“When it’s not your time it’s not your time,” he said.
“But I need to score as many goals as I can so when the next transfer window comes around, teams will know who I am and what I am capable of,” said Nyundu.
Leopards have also signed former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder, Mumuni Abubakar. The Ghanaian, who played for Vasco da Gama last season, has returned to Leopards on a one-year deal. Abubakar is awaiting his work permit ahead of Leopards’ league opener against AmaZulu in Durban on Sunday.
He joined Vasco in July 2015 following a two-year spell with Lidoda Duvha, having previously played for Downs in 2012.
