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Online Reporter
Against TelOne, Highlanders fans realised why their side is not challenging for the Premier Soccer League title!
First there was 30 minutes at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday of literary no football.
Followed by 15 minutes of aimless play by Bosso. But the second half gave Highlanders fans something to hope for from new signing Nqobile Ndlovu. His second half standoff with TelOne goalie Criss Mverechena was a sight to behold. Especially in a match that had little else to talk offer.
But through it all, Gweru side, TelOne proved that Highlanders are not championship material after they held the faded giants to a goalless draw at Barbourfields Stadium.
The match produced nowhere near being the quality Castle Premiership encounter it should be at this level of the game particularly on the first 45 minutes.
The first half was a cagey affair for maybe 30 minutes with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances, although TelOne’s midfield dynamo Blessing Sahondo had two chances to break the ice.
Highlanders had the ignominy of recording no shots on or off target in the entire first half. The newly arrived front pair of Nqobile Ndlovu and Never Rauzhi looked out of sorts for most of this half while the club’s top goal scorer, Lynoth ‘Sonji’ Chikhuwa barely got a touch.
For 45 minutes, TelOne set back while Bosso floundered around, unable to make any headway in the final third.
The normally reliable Marvelous Chigumira was missing in action while his Highlanders captain Peter Mudhuwa was lucky not to cause grief for his aide on least two occasions.
Chigumira first 45 minutes were characterised by poor crosses and passes against his former employer.
Ndlovu ran hard but kept coming short against the TelOne back four which was well marshalled by Eriya Mafirenyika who kept his foe under wraps for most of the first 45 minutes, denying him so much as a glance at goal.
However, the tempo increased significantly after the break, with Highlanders’ new forward Nqobile Ndlovu finding his rhythm.
Fresh out of the dressing room for the breather, Bosso’s young McKinnon Mushore’s fierce drive from distance forced a save from the TelOne keeper who punched the effort to safety before calmly collecting the rebound.
And then the Ndlovu-Mverechena magic show came to BF!
About 51 minutes back from the breather Mverechena saved pointblank from Ndlovu.
Four minutes later the pair were at it again – another point blank save.
Two minutes later, Ndlovu shot and Mverechena saved!
But this trip of saves was not the end of the magic show- in the 59th minute a snap head by Ndlovu forced yet another save out of the TelOne keeper before he did it again in the 66th when Mverechena dived to his left to shut out the threatening Ndlovu.
And so it ended!
Match stats:
– Attendance: Disappointing
First Half
– TelOne: 2 shots on target
– Highlanders: 0 shots on or off target
– Goals: 0
– Yellow cards: 0
– Red cards: 0
Second Half
– TelOne: 1 shot on target
– Highlanders: six shots on target
– Goals: 0
– Yellow cards: 0
– Red cards: 0
The draw will surely bring unwanted attention on coach Kelvin Kaindu’s tactics which are slowly beging to mirror his predecessor who was often accused of being too defensive.
Bosso have been inconsistent all season.
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derick.khumalo