Byo City on the rise

Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Bulawayo
Bulawayo City . . . . . . . . . (0) 1

Border Strikers . . . . . . . . . . 0

A 66th minute wonder goal by Humphrey Ncube propelled Bulawayo City against Border Strikers yesterday, a result that moves them to 20 points on the league table.

Ncube’s strike condemned Border Strikers to their 12th loss of the season from 14 games in yesterday’s tie played as the first of a Castle Lager Premiership double header at Barbourfields.

The match was rather lukewarm, although City enjoyed better exchanges and had more attempts at goal.

Veteran striker Mkhokheli Dube had a good day in office with three attempts at goal. He was well complemented by young Lewis Ncube.

City asked the first question in the 18th minute when Dube tried to scramble the ball home from a goalmouth melee.

The former Highlanders and Chicken Inn striker unleashed a full blooded shot in the 39th minute that was saved by Border Strikers’ goalkeeper Talent Sande.

Four minutes before the breather, Innocent Kutsanzira also let loose a shot that an alert Sande parried for a corner.

The second half began with the home side in control and it was no surprise when Dube broke loose again in the 61st minute, but his left footer was blocked by Sande.

Sande’s performance was the reason the scoreline remained respectable, but there was nothing he could do about the goal five minutes later.

Ncube, son to former Warriors’ roving left-back Rabson Mchichwa, received a long pass from Kutsanzira, pushed it forward on the run and planted a grounder past the diving Sande to eject the City fans from their seats.

“We were victims of lack of concentration. The match itself was tight though,” said Never Malunga, the Border Strikers’ coach.

A relieved City coach Philani Ncube hailed his boys for grinding out a result.

“There is no bad win, we wanted a win and we got it. We knew it would be hard and we had to go down deep into our bag of tricks to get this one,” said Ncube.

Bulawayo City: Liberty Chirava, Lewis Ncube, Brian Chikwenya, Peace Tshuma, Brighton Dube, Innocent Kutsanzira, Xolisani Moyo, Sipho Ndlovu (Humphrey Ncube), Mkhokheli Dube, Emmanuel Mandiranga (Morris Kadzola, 86th min) , Felix Kuswatuka (Trevor Ndlovu, 59th min).

Border Strikers: Talent Sande, Tafadzwa Jaravani, Michael Mwenya, Frank Mukarati, Ephraim Mwinga, Godfrey Mukambi, Tinashe Mugadzaweta (Livingstone Genti, 14th min) , Benjamin Chirimanzi (David Tito, 72nd min) Borges Junildo, William Nyoni, Munyaradzi Chirape(Prince Sibanda 72nd min)