Bosso tame Bulls

Tshilamoya scored through first half goals by gangly Bhekimpilo Ncube and goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda from the penalty spot while the visitors were beneficiaries of Gweru referee, Thomas Masaa’s inept handling of the match when they scored from the spot again through Merciful Ncube in the second half.

“We tried to find our rhythm especially in the second half after we had fallen to two soft goals, but all credit to Highlanders and if they continue playing like this, they will go all the way and lift this league title,” said Motor Action gaffer Antipas after the match.

Even legendary former Orlando Pirates player Jomo Sono who was at the stadium commended Highlanders for a disciplined performance although he felt the defence was a bit slack.

Sono though chose not to disclose the nature of his visit although sources close to him revealed that he was eyeing three Highlanders players. The Jomo Cosmos owner and coach nevertheless said he was in the country on a private visit.

However, like everybody who was at Barbourfields Stadium, he had no kind words for the Gweru-based referee Thomas Masaa who chose to be the main actor in an afternoon where the main actors should have been the players.

“Any 50-50 ball was a foul according to the referee and  it’s so sad,” said Antipas.

Even to the neutrals, the referee was a clear candidate for substitution as his actions on the field left a lot to be desired.

The black and white army went on a 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes, the first goal coming from Ncube’s unstoppable shot from inside the box off a Bruce Tshuma cross that gave Motor Action goalkeeper Marlon Jani no chance at all.

It was the first goal the Highlanders scored against the Motor Action goalie in two years and Bosso’s first win since 2009 over the Harare -based side.

As the visitors were still trying to settle down, Amahlolanyama proved to be unkind hosts and kept on charging and when Beaven Chikaka was about to go for goal after Marlon Jani’s spill inside the box, former Chicken Inn player Morris Kadzola chose to bring him down and the referee Masaa, rightfully pointed to the spot.

For his efforts, Kadzola earned himself a yellow card.

Up stepped Warriors goalie Sibanda to send his competitor in the Warriors squad, Jani the wrong way.
Soweto erupted, Barbourfields erupted and suddenly many in the stadium smelt victory and victory it proved to be after those 90 gruelling minutes. Sibanda’s goal secured Bosso’s 20-match unbeaten run.

Credit should be given to the visitors for giving it their all especially after the second goal but somehow, they found it hard to break the Highlanders defence that had skipper Innocent Mapuranga playing below par.

Had it not been for the top drawer performance by Eric Mudzingwa, Sibanda and Tshuma, Highlanders could have gone to the breather tied with the visitors.
Sono also agreed.

In the 27th minute Isaac Masame watched in agony as his blistering free kick from outside the box went agonisingly wide with Bosso goalkeeper Sibanda a bit too slow to react. The Highlanders goalie was to be called into action in the 39th minute after another Mapuranga mistake from a Kabwe cross found its way into the goal. Kabwe had a good game although in the first half he was kept under lock and key by Mthulisi Maphosa until coach Antipas instructed him to move away from the general.

His strategy could have been to fool Maphosa so that he followed him to the wings and in the process leave a gap in the centre but Kelvin Kaindu read it and told Maphosa to maintain the Bosso game plan.

The second half proved to be a physical game more than anything else.
Chikaka could have scored Bosso’s third goal two minutes into the second half but his header found a well positioned Jani.

Coach Kaindu substituted Masimba Mambare who was not at his best for young Arnold Ndiweni, seven minutes into the second half and 12 minutes later, Ndiweni brought in a nice cross that found Graham Ncube inside the box. Ncube weaved his way past two Motor Action defenders and was hacked down right inside the box. The far side assistant referee adjudged Ncube to have indeed been brought down as he went for the kill, but Masaa in a moment of madness signalled a Motor Action foul and showed Ncube a card for diving.

Ncube has become a target for referees for simulation and this was the umpteenth time that Bosso were denied what looked a genuine penalty.

“I suspect the referee handled the game to his best of ability,” Kaindu said cynically after the match.
Motor Action went against their usual 4-4-2 and applied a 3-5-2 formation.

Teams
Highlanders: A Sibanda, B Kangwa, I Mapuranga, E Mudzingwa, B Tshuma, Maphosa, P Moyo, M Mambare (A Ndiweni 52nd minute), B Ncube, B Chikaka (C Dube 90th minute) , G Ncube ( H Moyo 72nd minute)

Motor Action: M Jani, J Bernard, B Chimwanuchere, M Kadzola, G Moyo, J Jam (E Tembo 70th minute) , I Masame, P Kabwe, F Ncube (N Maroto 46th minute), M Ncube, Y Ebabali ( M Mburayi 85th minute)