Highlands ready to test Wits
Owen Da Gama says he could well start Musa Nyatama and Reneilwe Letsholonyane together for the first time in midfield tonight, with Highlands Park the latest side to test the porous home record of Bidvest Wits in the Absa Premiership.
Owen Da Gama coach of Highlands Park (Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix)
Nyatama made his first start for Highlands Park on the weekend, as they won 2-0 at home to Bloemfontein Celtic, after coming off the bench in the Nedbank Cup last 32 win over Uthongathi.
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Letsholonyane, who has only just returned from injury, started against Uthongathi, but did not feature against Celtic.
“Musa has settled in quite well,” said Da Gama of the midfielder, who joined in the January transfer window after being released by Orlando Pirates.
“He hasn’t had a lot of game-time (this season), we don’t want to use him too much, we need to build him up and use him strategically. He will be part of the team, and so will Yeye (Letsholonyane), there is a possibility they will start, no doubt about it.”
With a combined 69 years of age (Nyatama is 32 and Letsholonyane is still going strong at 37) the pair will certainly add plenty of experience to the Lions of the North side in a key area of the pitch, where Wits can boast talent like Thabang Monare and Cole Alexander.
The Clever Boys have picked up just 13 points at home this season, compared to 20 on the road, and will surely need to improve on that if they are to have a chance at the title, though right now they are still well in the race, 12 points behind Kaizer Chiefs, with three games in hand.
“I think both teams have something to play for, Wits still have a chance to win the league, they are a very good team, a very experienced team, but we want to be as high in the table as possible, to do better than we achieved last year. We believe we have turned the corner, the guys are confident.”
Highlands have three wins in a row in league and cup, after a disappointing spell in which Da Gama was rumoured to have tendered his resignation, a fact vociferously denied by the club and the man himself. Highlands are currently eighth on the table, one place lower than last season.
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