JOHANNESBURG - The goalposts can be a dreadful place to occupy, especially if all you’ve done all season long is concede goals galore.
Highlands Park shot-stopper Tapuwa Kapini gets that dreadful feeling each time he takes to the field.
Kapini has conceded 35 goals in the Absa Premiership so far this season. And there are still 10 more league matches to go.
But with no other senior shot-stopper at the club to turn to for advice, the Zimbabwean veteran does his own analysis to rectify his faults.
Kapini has discovered that Highlands’ poor performance has not been entirely his fault. His rearguard is also to blame as they have not been protecting him as much as they did last season when they finished their NFD campaign having conceded 18 goals.
The 32-year-old admitted that the club have found it difficult to keep up with the pace of the elite league.
“What killed us this season is that we had a few changes in defence from the one that played in the NFD last season,” Kapini said.
“That tampered with the quality at the back. (Augustine) Mbara, who was there all season during our NFD campaign, has now been paired with Eddie Ngalo in the heart of defence.
“That combination is struggling really badly. And, lest we forget, the club is new to this (Premiership football). But things need to change.”
The Tembisa-based outfit host Maritzburg United in a league clash at Makhulong Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 3.30pm).
And based on how his side performed in their league
encounter against Free State Stars ahead of their Nedbank Cup last 32 loss to the same club the previous week, Kapini reckons the Lions of the North stand a chance of surviving the chop.
Highlands occupy 15th spot on the Premiership standings with 17 points from 20 matches, while the Team of Choice are 10th with 23 points from 21 games.
“In our league match against Stars, everybody showed character and just wanted it more. We wanted to win.
“The same should apply against Maritzburg on Sunday. They can be beaten."
The fear of relegation should spur them on, he
believes.
“We don’t want to go back to the NFD. We want to stay in the elite division.
“This team have what it takes to survive the axe with the last 10 league games
remaining.
“We just need to make sure we win most of them, that’s all...”