Goals elude Highlanders strikers

The win came courtesy of a 32nd minute own goal by Gunners defender Moses Denver. Mthulisi Maphosa had said as they left Bulawayo on Tuesday: “This time we are taking everything by force”.

 

After the goal Tshilamoya defended while Gunners attacked to no avail, proving true the belief that Bosso’s defence unit of skipper Innocent Mapuranga, Eric Mudzingwa, Bruce Kangwa, Atlast Musasa and goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, ably supported by holding midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa, has been the strongest department in the last seven games, conceding an equal number of goals although the last one came after six games without conceding.

For a team that is eyeing the championship, there is a need to have an outright hitman, someone who by now should have scored more than 10 goals with the other goals being shared by the rest of the players. But now 12 games into the season, seven Highlanders players have contributed to the 24 goals that the team has scored while the perceived chief striker Graham Ncube, despite never sitting on the bench, has scored less than a quarter of the goals. The reason for that is that the Makokoba-born player is not a natural striker but is one who plays well behind strikers or if he is a twin striker.

There is a need therefore for head coach Kelvin Kaindu to make a Solomonic decision on his approach to the goal-scoring problem which his team suddenly finds itself faced with, despite a flying start to the season.

Strikers are employed to score, much as defenders are employed to defend and coaches are employed to win matches but if the objective is not being met, why then can they not bring changes and see what happens?

Change can come in the form of tactical or positional change and it is time the Zambian did that if Highlanders wants to maintain its blistering start to the season.

Bosso has juniors who were promoted at the start of the season and so far it is only Ozias Zibande who has been making cameo appearances and proving that with more game time, goals might come. There are also other youngsters such as Ryan Howes, Bobby Nkomo and Mgcini Sibanda to try upfront while Beavan Chikaka — whose scoring rate, compared to his game time is very impressive — is another option.

On Wednesday, Kaindu thought the pitch was not up to standard, perhaps the reason for the  poor performance but what are the reasons in the previous three games?

“Highlanders needs an outright striker because at the moment the team only has midfielders that have been turned into strikers,” said veteran coach Cosmas Zulu.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport earlier this week, Kaindu hinted that with funds permitting, he would have gone into the market for a gunman and impeccable sources within the log leaders said the Bulawayo giants might unleash a Zambian.

The 1-0 win saw Bosso extend their unbeaten run to 12 games and keep alive their dream of going all the way like their black and white clad Italian counterparts Juventus who clinched the title last year after a run of 23 wins and 15 draws.

While Highlanders had the benevolence of the unfortunate Gunners defender to thank, their biggest rivals Dynamos invaded their territory and left fellow neighbours, Quelaton in tears.

DeMbare won 1-0 through a David Kutyauripo header in the 50th minute and for those who were at Luveve Stadium, they will agree that football is indeed a game of luck and if you don’t have that, it can be a cruel game indeed.

The Bulawayo boys did everything they could but their biggest undoing always came in the final third, the execution part of their manoeuvres.

Coach Philani Ncube blamed it on immaturity and conceded that time was running out for them to reach the maturity levels required.

“I cannot manage their minds as a coach because it’s clear that they are not here. There is a big problem here my brother, these boys are not 100 percent here, their minds are somewhere else,” said the respected gaffer.

Despite promises of handsome packages, believed to have been between $300 and $500 each for a win, the boys still behaved as if  scoring was taboo.

For the reigning champions Dynamos, head coach Callisto Pasuwa and crew still have some work to do even though assistant coach Tonderai Ndiraya seemed satisfied with the performance.

However, if that display was the best that the Glamour Boys can produce, then the DeMbare family needs to worry a lot, especially when they are yet to meet their biggest and traditional rivals, Caps United and Highlanders.

“We are happy with the performance, it was better than our 0-0 draw against Inter-Clube in the Caf Confederation Cup and as for the championship it’s still early days but we want to retain our prized possession,” said Ndiraya.

With four players on the radar of South African teams, the blue army will need an open cheque to realise that dream because replacing quality players like Takesure Chinyama, Denver Mukamba, Rodrick Mutuma and goalkeeper Washington Arubi is a different job altogether from changing a pair of trousers and now the zeal to play in the Champions League is no longer there.

The prospect of a mini league phase appearance in the less lucrative Confederation Cup abruptly dropped with the nil-all home draw last Sunday.

The Dynamos match was well handled by referee Mlindeli Ndebele and his assistants, Saneliso Sibanda and Salani “1 July” Ncube.

With the win DeMbare moved to fifth place on the standings and everyone knows that once they are within sight of the leading pack and they reach the travelling mode, it’s just difficult to stop them. FC Platinum can testify to that.