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The hosts then came back to level terms in the 54th minute through the boot of Tawanda Mareya who beat substitute goalkeeper Ashford Katsande from close range.
Hwange were the first to settle down in the game and could have easily raced into the lead in the fifth minute when Nkosana Siwela let loose a blistering 35-metre drive which was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Munyaradzi Diya.
In the 18th minute Highlanders defender Lawson Nkomo almost gifted Hwange a soft goal with a silly blunder in the box but Siwela fluffed the golden opportunity with an effort which zoomed over the bar.
Evans Rusike followed that miss with an awkward effort from close range as the coalminers continued to threaten the visitors’ goal.
Highlanders only got their first realistic chance in the 22nd minute when they got a free kick at the edge of the Hwange box but it went begging as midfielder Simon Munawa rammed his effort into the wall.
Bosso then started playing with a lot of purpose and could have raced into the lead in the 27th minute when overlapping Nkomo spotted an unmarked Arnold Ndiweni deep in the hosts’ box but Ndiweni lost his footing and directed his volley off target.
Highlanders continued to ask more questions which led to the goal by Zibande 10 minutes from the breather.
Hwange came back from halftime with guns blazing and it was not a surprise when they drew level in the 54th minute through Mareya.
Hwange could have raced into the lead on the hour mark but Highlanders’ substitute goal minder Katsande did well to produce a double save, first from a scorching free kick from Kudakwashe Chipere which he parried onto the path of Gilbert Zulu, whose effort to bury in the rebound found the young keeper alert.
Hwange substitute Farai Vimisai then produced the miss of the afternoon five minutes before fulltime after he combined well with Zulu only to miss the target from close range.
Young Hwange referee Bekezela Makeka had firm control of the game.
Teams
Hwange: T Mvula, S Lombe, M Mpofu, T Ncube, A Katebe, T Mareya (F Vimisai 64th minute), T Mamina (G Zulu 56th minute), N Mtali (K Chipere 56th minute), O Lungu, N Siwela ( A Tavarwisa 88th minute), E Rusike (C Dube 56th minute).
Highlanders: M Diya (A Katsande 49th minute), B Chikaka (S Nsingo 85th minute), H Ryan (H Masuku 49th minute), N Khanye, E Mudzingwa (B Kangwa 49th minute), S Munawa, A Ndiweni ( G Ncube 70th minute), T Ndlovu, L Nkomo, O Zibande (M Sibanda 70th minute)
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