adminPaul Mundandi in Zvishavane
FC Platinum … (0)1
Highlanders…. (3)3
RAHMAN GUMBO is a worried man following his second defeat at Mandava Stadium at the hands of his former paymasters Highlanders in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played yesterday.
Bosso stunned the visitors when they scored in the 31st minute through Graham Ncube. Highlanders’ leading scorer Milton Ncube roasted his marker and sent an intelligent pass to Ncube who reacted with a right footer that hit the left upright before it nestled into the nets with Tafadzwa Dube trying in vain to stop the shot but it was too late and it sparked wild celebrations from the stands.
Before the hosts could settle, Simon Munawa made it two up for a fired up Bosso. Peter Moyo who dictated pace in the midfield threaded a pass in the box that Munawa slotted home from the right after beating an out of sorts Gilbert Banda. Dube could not do anything to the ball except retrieve it from the nets.
Gumbo then made an emotional substitution pulling out Simon Shoko and Banda after his defence had conceded two goals in two minutes.
While Banda can get a little blame for the goal, he was however saluted by the Bosso fans — a club that moulded him into a star player. Shoko on the other hand did not set a foot wrong and it was his first match since leaving Shabanie Mine. The Shabanie fans reacted angrily to his substitution but the decision had already been made.
The FC Platinum world crumbled in the 46th minute when captain Zephaniah Ngodzo beat his own keeper in a bid to clear. Ncube, who seemed hard to contain, won the ball on the right and sent a powerful cross in the box that Ngodzo blasted home past Dube.
FC Platinum pulled one back through Ali Sadiki in the 71st minute. The former Blue Ribbon defensive midfielder who was in the starting line up was the architect of the goal when he caught the Bosso defence napping and spotted Sadiki in the box who had the easiest task of beating Ariel Sibanda who was never troubled throughout the match as his defence stood resolute.
Highlanders could have won with a wider margin had their strikeforce been sharp upfront. The slippery Milton Ncube weaved his way past a cluster of defenders and squared the ball to Bruce Kangwa who managed to draw Dube from his line in the 21st minute. With the Bosso fans expecting a goal, the striker lobbed the ball and Dube sprang like a cat to make a save.
Ncube could have grabbed a goal four minutes later when he caught the Platinum defence at sixes and sevens but he clashed with Dube in the box and the ball missed the target.
Masimba Mambare was the last to miss when he sent his effort over the bar when it looked easier to score in the 71st minute with Platinum goalkeeper Dube to beat after Bruce Tshuma had made light work past the Platinum defence.
It was just not a day for the FC Platinum family as they lost another set of points to the team they beat two nil at the same stadium last season under coach Philani Mabhena before losing one nil in the reverse fixture after the arrival of Gumbo who has won so many championships with various clubs in Zimbabwe and outside the country.
Things are not just clicking for “Rush” despite acquiring the best players in the premiership and offloading a team that he nearly won the championship with. Gumbo took charge of FC Platinum who were leading the pack with 16 points which were later reduced to zero by Dynamos.
Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu praised his charges after the match.
“It is a good win for us away from home. We are going to keep on scoring and I am still trying to rejuvenate the team since the morale had gone in the Highlanders family. I am still trying to come up with a good formation and we are almost getting there. It is also good to score many goals and concede less. I am however going to take each game as it comes,” said the elated Zambian mentor.
Gumbo refused to comment.
“I have no comment”, he said, heading to the dressing rooms.
Teams
FC Platinum: T Dube, D Veremu, Q Amin, S Shoko (N Togara 39th), A Sadiki, C Kamhapa, C Sibanda, J Ngodzo, M Katsvairo, G Banda (Z Ngodzo), A Gahadzikwa (W Ndiweni 52nd ).
Highlanders: A Sibanda, B Kwangwa, B Thsuma, I Mapuranga, E Mudzingwa, M Maphosa, H Masuku (B Chikaka 63rd), S Munwa, P Moyo (R Howes 90th), M
Ncube, G Ncube (M Mambare 63rd ).
Online Reporter