Yes! Home victory…Highlanders rout GreenFuel

Highlanders 3-0 GreenFuel

HIGHLANDERS’ utter domination of GreenFuel was rewarded with a 3-0 rout which sent them into the quarter-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup.

This was perhaps one of the most dominant performances Bosso have produced at home this season. It was certainly the performance coach Kelvin Kaindu has been longing to see at home after admitting that the team was not performing well at home in the league of late.

This time around, Bosso had their tails up from the opening whistle as they took the game to the visitors.
They were duly rewarded for their efforts on the stroke of half-time after Melikhaya Ncube put them in front with a tap in from close range.

The visitors protested the goal as Ncube seemed to be in an offside position, but referee Busani Siwala and his assistant Nirimai Muroyiwa thought otherwise.

GreenFuel players protested against the referee’s call and goalkeeper Tendai Chirara and Reginald Chinemo were booked for charging at Muroyiwa in protest.

The second goal came in the 64th minute off a brilliant turn and shoot by Nqobile Ndlovu inside the box before Marvelous Chigumira made it three in the 80th minute with a shot inside the box off a Ndlovu pass. Kaindu was happy with his team’s performance.

“It was a difficult game, as the opponents were tactically good. We struggled to get the first goal, but when we scored, we knew the game was going to be open. We have not scored three goals.

“Today we scored three goals and it is a plus for us. We could have scored more, but congratulations to the team.
“We had to make four changes to the team that played in the last game because of injuries to some players, and we unfortunately had to make an early goalkeeping change because of injured. We are just hoping he will be ready for next week.

“I feel it might be too early to have him back. It was good that we won and scored lots of goals. We wish it was a league game as this would have given us an advantage in terms of goal difference,” said Kaindu.

GreenFuel coach Saul Chaminuka felt that the first goal should not have stood, and it was the turning point of the game.

“The turning point was the first goal of the match. You end up not knowing how to evaluate your players because of that goal. When you concede a goal in the manner that we did, everybody will be disturbed. The game was okay until that moment.

When we came back, we were trying to play, but then you look at your players and say are we failing to play because we have been affected by that goal.

“As coaches, we work on how to play, but then when things like that happen, you are left wondering if we are teaching people the wrong things because I think it was offside. Fine, that’s the referee’s call and there’s nothing you can do, but some decisions affect the way the game of football is supposed to go,” said Chaminuka.

Bosso were forced to make an early substitution after goalkeeper and captain of the day Raphael Pitisi went down from no contact with what seemed to be a knee injury.

He was replaced by veteran Ariel Sibanda after 22 minutes of play. Sibanda’s introduction was met with a standing ovation by the Bosso fans.

Bosso dominated the proceedings early on and in the 13th minute, Chigumira sent in a brilliant cross which Chirara punched back into play, but Bosso couldn’t capitalise on the rebound.

In the 19th minute, McKinnon Mushore’s shot from outside the box went wide of goal. On the half-hour mark, Chigumira sent in yet another brilliant cross from the left which Brighton Ncube headed over the bar.

Soon after the start of the second-half, with Bosso leading one-nil, Brian Chikwenya forced a good save by Sibanda with a thunderbolt. The Highlanders shot stopper punched the ball back into play and it was cleared for a corner kick which went to waste.

In the 66th minute, unmarked Honest Malanga’s shot inside the box went wide, and four minutes later, Prince Ndlovu forced a save from Chirara with a dipping shot from the right flank.

Two minutes later, Ndlovu was put through on goal, and with Mhlanga on the other side, Ndlovu went for glory and shot over the bar.

Teams
Highlanders: Raphael Pitisi (Ariel Sibanda, 22mins), Talent Dube, Marvelous Chigumira, Lynoth Chikuhwa (Honest Mhlanga 65mins),Mckinnon Mushore (Brian Ndlovu, 88mins), Prince Ndlovu, Peter Muduhwa, Nqobile Ndlovu (Mayibongwe Ndlovu, 88mins),Arthur Ndlovu, Brighton Ncube (Nigel Banda, 88mins), Melikhaya Ncube

Greenfuel: Tendai. Chirara, Brian Chikwenya, Reginald Chinemo, Honest Moyo, Chris Ngwende, Tashinga Pfende, Donald Ngoma (Collins Dhuwa,63mins), Garikai Dematsika (Tadiwanashe Mhinyu, 88mins), Daren Mutimuzenze (Naison Takawira, 80mins), Clive Rupiya (Washington Mapuwa, 63mins), Denis Nhongo. – @-innocentskizoe