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Ricky Zililo in BULAWAYO
Highlanders…………………….(0) 1
Yadah FC…………………………….0
A FATAL goalkeeping boob by Yadah FC’s Tafadzwa Dube gifted veteran Highlanders’ striker Ralph Matema a 65th minute goal that earned his wasteful side maximum points in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Barbourfields yesterday.
Dube punched the ball from Charlton Siamalonga’s cross straight onto the head of Matema and into the net. Siamalonga had a great debut for Highlanders as he filled in the left-back position left by Honest Moyo, who is on Warriors’ duty at the Cosafa Castle Cup in South Africa, as well as the suspended Benson Phiri.
Bosso went into yesterday’s match an improved side compared to the side that played a goalless draw against How Mine at the same venue a week ago.
Highlanders’ striker Nhlanhla Ndlovu, starting for the first time this season, was guilty of fluffing two glorious opportunities in the first half.
Ndlovu unbelievably shot over the bar when he decided to go for power instead of placing the ball past a drawn-out Dube in the fourth minute after being set up by Matema.
The striker again did injustice to a beautiful build-up, involving Godfrey Makaruse, King Nadolo and Matema, by placing the ball wide in the 21st minute.
Overlapping Highlanders’ defender Tendai Ndlovu beat the offside trap to meet a Nadolo pass, but shot weakly at goal. Yadah rarely troubled Bosso goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda in the first half, as the home team were compact in defence.
The second half resumed with Yadah playing more purposeful football and trying to take the game to Highlanders. The visitors breached Highlanders’ defence in the 54th minute but striker Moses Demera shot over the bar with only Sibanda to beat.
Highlanders coach Erol Akbay decided to spare Ndlovu his misery by bringing in Rodreck Mutuma in the 57th minute. Mutuma dropped into the midfield, helping the quartet of Erick Mudzingwa, Rahman Kutsanzira, Nadolo and Makaruse.
Then came the crazy moment by seasoned goalkeeper Dube, who punched a seemingly harmless Siamalonga cross right onto Matema’s head in the 65th minute resulting in the Highlanders’ goal.
Yadah regrouped and went on the hunt for the equaliser led by Brian Mapfumo, arguably their best player yesterday. Strikers Demera and Munyaradzi Chivasa were completely shut out by the Highlanders’ back-line.
Akbay bemoaned his strikers’ impotence in front of goal. “I really don’t know what goes on in my strikers’ minds because we created so many chances that we failed to score. Yadah also made it difficult for us to play, as they were compact,” Akbay said.
Yadah coach Jairos Tapera said his men played well and were unfortunate. “I think we played well and we were just unfortunate to concede at that stage,” he said.
Teams
Highlanders: A. Sibanda, C. Siamalonga, B. Ncube, P. Muduhwa, T. Ndlovu, E. Mudzingwa, R. Kutsanzira, G. Makaruse, K. Nadolo, N. Ndlovu (R. Mutuma, 57th min), R. Matema (T. Kalunga, 86th min)
Yadah FC: T. Dube, M. Diro-Nyenye, W. Kalongoda, J. Dzingai, R. Dongo, B. Mapfumo, E. Karembo, P. Borges (L. Murape, 73rd min), D. Savanhu, M. Chivara, M. Demera
Online Reporter