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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
Highlanders…………………………………………………………….. (2) 3
Hwange …………………………………………………………………………0
THREE brilliantly executed goals saw Highlanders end the 2016 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League exactly the same way they started, with victory over Hwange in an exciting match played at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
Adrian Silla, McCarthy Dube and Douglas Sibanda were on target for Bosso who finished the season on third position with 56 points. With Highlanders out of contention for the championship heading into yesterday’s last round of fixtures, coach Erol Akbay started the match with just four regular first team players in King Nadolo, Prince Dube, Peter Muduhwa and Honest Moyo while goalkeeper Prosper Matutu had only started one league match this season prior to yesterday’s fixture. The youngsters proved eager and hungry to captivate the small but enthusiastic and appreciative crowd which turned up for the match.
Highlanders dominated possession from the start with Godfrey Makaruse causing all sorts of problems for the Hwange defence on the left side of the Bosso attack. Makaruse almost caught the Hwange defence napping in the second minute, only for his goal attempt to go wide off target. Midfielder Silla gave Highlanders the lead in the 21st minute with a brilliant left footer from outside the box to beat Taimon Mvula in goals for the visitors. Striker Dube put Highlanders 2-0 ahead in the 36th minute when he controlled the ball inside the box and fired past Mvula.
Prosper Matutu dived well to his right to push out for a corner Thonisani Sibelo’s well struck free kick from outside the box with two minutes to go to halftime.
Hwange coach Mebelo Njekwa removed Gift Mbweti in the 58th minute which saw the young forward finish the season with nine goals, the same as Walter Musona of FC Platinum and failed to overtake Golden Boot winner Leonard Tsipa of Caps United.
Sibanda, a second half replacement for the injured Muduhwa capped off the scoring for Highlanders, connecting first time with a superb cross from the right sent in by Silla to fire past Mvula two minutes before the end.
Teams
Highlanders: Prosper Matutu, Nkosana Ndlovu, Bukhosi Ncube, Adrian Silla, King Nadolo, McCarthy Dube (Chimbadzwa 54 mins), Prince Dube, Brian Banda, Godfrey Makaruse, Peter Muduhwa (Sibanda 75 mins), Honest Moyo ( Daudi 46 mins)
Hwange: Taimon Mvula, Thonisani Sibelo (Tandi 58 mins), Obert Moyo, Gerald Ndlovu, Munyaradzi Mungadze, Andrew Chuma, Farai Vimisayi (Lungu 62 mins), Creven Banda, Innocent Mucheneka, Gift Mbweti (Kaunda 58 mins), Gilbert Zulu.
—Twitter:@Mdawini_29
Online Reporter