Online Reporter
Ray Bande in Mutare
Manica 0-1 Highlanders
After yesterday’s match, a dejected Manica Diamonds coach Jairos Tapera, cut a lone figure as he walked off the pitch without shaking hands with his opposite number, Kelvin Kaindu.
He also couldn’t grant journalists post-match interviews, after agonisingly watching his team fall by a solitary goal against a determined Highlanders, at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare.
For Bosso, this was a big statement, a big away win, huge three points on the road and a sign that they are not done yet.
Bosso could have simply won this encounter by a wide margin only if they had made the most of the numerous scoring chances they created, especially in the first half.
A relieved Kaindu acknowledged that.
“If you look at the matches that we played in the recent past, we were playing good football but failing to score goals. We dominated most of the encounters that we played in the past five outings, just like we did here, but somehow in those recent league matches, we just could not win.
“However, I am happy with three points that we got here. It was not easy at all. We deserved them and we will go forward with confidence,” said Kaindu.
But it doesn’t look good for his opposite.
Perhaps Tapera’s unsporting behaviour was a true reflection of the frustration fast creeping into the Manica Diamonds’ camp after their fans mobbed the clubs’ secretary general Sugar Chagonda and chairman Masimba Chihowa’s vehicles, as they made their way out of the match venue, demanding the ouster of what they termed a “clueless Tapera”.
Highlanders approached this match with a lot of pressure too.
Kaindu’s charges were first off the blocks and were almost rewarded for their attacking prowess in the eighth minute when Manica Diamonds goalkeeper Tedious Baye, was forced to summon his reflexes to block midfielder McKinnon Mushore’s fine header.
In fact, Highlanders were literally camped in Manica Diamonds’ half for the greater part of the first half, but their dominance in possession failed to translate into goals as their players took turns to miss the target.
Highlanders finally found the target in the 64th minute when unmarked and well-positioned Mafious Chihweta got to the end of the neat exchanges and had all the time to control the ball in the box and placed it well beyond a diving Baye’s reach.
Bosso could have doubled their lead a minute into added time. Brighton Ncube lurched onto a loose ball just outside the box, but his blistering shot hit the crossbar to give the home team yet another chance to fight for a point.
Manica Diamonds had their moments in the second half, but as is now the norm, their strikers fired blanks.
Highlanders came into the match against Manica Diamonds winless in five consecutive PSL matches, picking up just a paltry two points from a possible 15, no wonder yesterday’s triumph was a huge relief for Bosso.
Their last victory was in May when they dismissed Yadah Stars 2-0 at The Heart Stadium in Harare.
Going into the game, Bosso had suffered a 2-3 defeat at the hands of Simba Bhora and they had also settled for a goalless stalemate against Dynamos.
They went down by a solitary goal against Herentals College and also lost 1-2 to ZPC Kariba. In their most recent assignment, the Kevin Kaindu-coached outfit salvaged a point after a one all stalemate against former champions, FC Platinum.
On the other hand, Manica Diamonds have never tasted victory since their humiliating 1-4 defeat to Simba Bhora.
After that, the not so shiny Gem Boys went on to settle for a two all stalemate against TelOne before settling for another draw against Chicken Inn.
Manica Diamonds went on to draw one all against log leaders MWOS before playing a goalless stalemate against Kwekwe United.
Tapera’s men played another goalless draw against Greenfuel FC before playing yet another goalless stalemate against Scottland.
The Mutare based outfit were in another one all draw against Triangle, which came just before they suffered a one nil defeat against the then struggling CAPS United.
Only last week, Tapera’s men went to play a one all draw against Ngezi Platinum before yesterday’s home defeat at the hands of Highlanders.
Manica Diamonds
Tedious Baye; Farai Banda; Lawrence Masibera; Rainsome Pavari; Lawrence Mhlanga; Sibusiso Ndlovu (Clive Dzingai, 72nd minute); Bret Amidu, Evans Katema, 48th minute); Charles Teguru; Cole Mirwirapachena (Kudzanai Dhemere, 48th minute); Nigel Mupanduki; Tinotenda Musariranwa (Fortune Bhinzi, 45th minute):
Highlanders
Reward Muza; Mvelo Khoza; Talent Dube; Brian Mlotshwa; McKinnon Mushore; Melikhaya Ncube; Brighton Ncube; Andrew Mbeba; Mason Mushore; Never Rauzhi; Mafious Chahweta (Hurbert Ncube, 68th minute)
Matchday 16 Statistics
Yesterday
Chicken Inn 1-0 Ngezi Platinum; Greenfuel 2-2 Scottland; Herentals 0-0 FC Platinum; Manica Diamonds 0-1 Highlanders; simba Bhora 1-0 Bikita Minerals;TelOne 1-1 ZPC Kariba
Today
Dynamos v Yadah (Rufaro); Kwekwe Utd v Triangle (Bata);MWOS v CAPS United (Ngoni)
Bongani Ndlovu