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Tadious Manyepo in ZVISHAVANE
Herentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1
HIGHLANDERS were made to sweat, as they played dirty especially in the second half, but they achieved what they wanted in this Castle Lager Premier Soccer League victory over Herentals at Mandava yesterday.
In a way, the Bulawayo giants underlined their title credentials and sent a clear statement about their intentions with Melikhaya Ncube’s first half goal carrying the day for them.
They have now gone for 15 matches without tasting defeat in a run that has seen them conceding just four goals while scoring 13 times.
And yesterday’s win helped them stretch their lead at the top of the standings to four points after second-placed Ngezi Platinum Stars suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Simba Bhora on Saturday.
Bosso’s victory didn’t come without controversy though.
Two minutes before the half-hour mark and with the game evenly balanced, Herentals defender Peter Chota was fouled as he tried to shepherd a long ball out.
As he went down, he had contact with the ball and referee Owen Manhenda awarded Highlanders a corner kick instead of a foul for the home team.
And it was the corner kick that was acrobatically bundled home by Ncube for what turned out to be the winning goal.
Even at the death, The Students felt they should have been awarded a penalty for what looked like a handball by Peter Muduhwa inside the box but Manhenda and his far side assistant Salani Ncube were not convinced enough.
Besides those two incidents, especially the first one that tilted the game into Bosso’s favour, the match was one of the most exciting this season.
The huge crowd that turned up left the venue a satisfied lot as both teams really wanted to play the game.
It was Herentals who looked threatening in the opening moments with Tino Benza dribbling past a thicket of Bosso defenders but he couldn’t fashion out a decent shot.
With the game mostly concentrated in the midfield where both sets of players showcased good industry and artistry, Bosso put together a decent chance just past the quarter hour mark but Nevermind Antonio, who was in goals for Herentals, was quick to thwart the danger. Then from nothing, Bosso surged ahead Ncube taking full advantage of some lapse in concentration on the part of Herentals defenders.
The home side then seized control of the game from then until the end but Bosso erected some solid barricades to neutralise everything thrown at them.
It was a game that Highlanders could have easily lost but their defence marshalled by veteran Muduhwa just showed why they have conceded only four goals in 15 games.
Herentals wingers Davison Marowa and Prince Chama were very lively, but Bosso’s wingbacks of Archford Faira and Andrew Mbeba bested them in key moments.
If The Students were good in the first stanza, they were dangerous in the second as they asked the most difficult questions.
With captain Gibson Chinobva, impressive all afternoon, leading from the back, Herentals had an easy chance to cancel Bosso’s lead three minutes after the resumption but Stanley Murove failed to direct his header with Ariel Sibanda easily collecting.
Blessing Majarira would head over a perfect Chama cross 10 minutes later while substitute Godfrey Mukambi’s ferocious left-footed shot from outside the box marginally went wide.
And right at the death, Chinobva unleashed a drive that cannoned against the frame of the goal and in the scramble that followed the rebound, Muduhwa appeared to handle a goal-bound shot inside the box.
Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito, who seems to have mastered the local league, hailed his players.
“My players have the fight in them. My job is to coach them but they have some unbelievable spirit,” said Brito.
“Our opponents played very well but we managed to get the points. I am very happy”.
His Herentals counterpart Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva felt his team’s performance deserved much more than the defeat.
“That was excellent from my boys. We outplayed Highlanders in all facets of the game and you would feel that we deserved better than this defeat,” said Mutiwekuziva.
Teams
Herentals: Nevermind Antonio, Brighton Majarira, Stanley Murove (John Zhuwawu 68min), Gibson Chinobva, Blessing Majarira (Clement Chimedza 60min), Davison Marowa (Tafadzwa Jim 67min), Tino Benza, Peter Chota, William Kapumha (Godfrey Mukambi 69min), Blessing Phiri, Prince Chama (Ali Maliselo 78min)
Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, Lynoth Chikuhwa (Andrew Thandi 83min), Ray Lunga (Washington Navaya 59min), Mckinnon Mushore (Stanley Ngala 59mins), Brighton Manhire, Andrew Mbeba, Elshamar Farasi (Mason Mushore 67min) Peter Muduhwa, Archford Faira, Mbongeni Ndlovu, Melikhaya Ncube
Online Reporter