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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
Highlanders FC 0-1 Chicken Inn
HIGHLANDERS slumped to their fourth straight defeat in the Premier League at Hartsfield yesterday – but a second-half incident involving striker Charles Sibanda galvanised the home support who cheered a valiant effort by Mark Mathe’s men at the final whistle.
Want-away Sibanda was substituted after 53 minutes following a tepid display in this Bulawayo derby, coming a week after he intimated that he wanted a move away from the club.
With his replacement Knox Mutizwa waiting by the touchline to come on, Sibanda was in no mood to shake hands or encourage his team-mate and jogged straight out and into the dressing room, with his coach looking on bemused.
Highlanders fans, who forced out Kelvin Kaindu as coach a fortnight ago after a home defeat to ZPC Kariba all but ended their title hopes, had found a new villain and jeers rang out.
Already trailing from a George Majika curler a minute into the second half, Highlanders were rocking. But something remarkable happened: the fans suddenly channelled their anger to supporting the team on the pitch.
The players responded with a hearty display. Felix Chindungwe was denied by the crossbar and Mutizwa shot wide late on as Mathe’s battlers imposed themselves on Chicken Inn.
Sibanda soon emerged from the dressing rooms and headed straight into the VIP stand. The anger of the Highlanders fans was palpable, with some threatening to harm the striker whom they labelled a disgrace and not fit to wear the shirt.
Sensing danger, Sibanda – now with police protection – finally came down from the terraces and went back on the pitch to take his place on the bench as fans berated him all round.
Now the striker, who issued an apology last night, faces disciplinary action from the club.
Mathe, who had earlier in the first half witnessed Sibanda’s unbridled insolence after the striker openly refused to come to the touchline for instructions, said: “His behaviour is totally unacceptable, and we’ll definitely take action. As a club, we’ve disciplinary procedures.”
Club CEO Ndumiso Gumede, who also was at the match, added: “We first have to get a report from the technical team and then after that, we’ll be in a position to announce what action if any will be taken.”
Sibanda told Chronicle Sport he was simply disappointed with his own performance and had lost his head after his withdrawal.
“I want to apologise to the fans and the club for what happened. The coaches have every right to be angry with my behaviour. The truth is that I’ve been feeling lots of pressure because of my recent goal drought,” Sibanda said.
“I always try my best to help the team win, but today I felt supporters were against me as they kept on shouting that I’m a traitor who is leaving for Dynamos.
“The truth is that no-one from Dynamos has ever approached me. If I’m to leave the club it will be a move to another country. I came to Highlanders to win things, I’m hungry to win the Golden Boot and I want to add to my 12 goals so far as the next guy is just a goal behind me.
“My plea to the fans is to ask them to rally behind us, especially now when we’re trying hard to get back to winning ways and secure that top-four finish.”
In 2011, Sibanda, then playing for FC Platinum, paid an admission of guilt fine after he poured urine on the then Chicken Inn coach, the late Adam Ndlovu.
At Hartsfield yesterday, Highlanders’ target was to end three-game losing sequence after defeats to Harare City, ZPC Kariba and the 4-0 mauling by Caps United.
The opening half was a cagey affair, with very few chances.
Chicken Inn almost went ahead as early as the 11th minute but skipper Danny Phiri was brilliantly denied by the returning Munyaradzi Diya, who returned to goal as Njabulo Nyoni, who was between the sticks at Caps United, was relegated to the bench.
Diya was again summoned on 28 minutes after Innocent Mapuranga’s failed clearance on the edge of the Highlanders box sent Clemence Matawu scampering through. Diya dived low to his left to block his shot for a corner.
Ozias Zibande was introduced at the start of the second half, replacing former Tsholotsho forward Kuda Machazane as the animated Mathe sought to unlock the mean Chicken Inn defence for whom Brian Mbiriri was outstanding.
But Majika would prove to be the match winner after finding himself in acres of space on the right. Majika created an angle for himself and curled in an unstoppable shot with his left which nestled in Diya’s top right corner.
The 67th minute saw the introduction of Munyaradzi King Nadolo for ginger-haired Welcome Ndiweni and Bosso started probing forward with intention. For the first time in a long while, Highlanders fans appeared really interested as they urged the team forward in search of the equaliser.
Mutizwa unbelievably shot wide after 77 minutes after finding himself face-to-face with Chicken Inn goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.
Five minutes earlier, Bosso’s midfielder Chindungwe could not believe his luck after his header cannoned off the crossbar.
“We put up a fine display and I felt we deserved to win it,” said Chicken Inn coach Joe Antipas. “Our midfield was compact, it was our strongest area,” said Antipas.
Mathe, who blamed the goal on a lapse of concentration on the part of his players, said they were unlucky.
“We played well but it’s only that we seem not to be getting the rub of the green at the moment, in football you need luck sometimes,” said Mathe, who has lost three matches in his caretaker role since replacing Kaindu.
Teams
Highlanders: M Diya, B Kangwa, I Mapuranga, D Ndlovu, S Munawa, F Chindungwe, C Sibanda (K Mutizwa 53rd minute), P Manhanga, K Machazane (O Zibande 46th minute), H Moyo, W Ndiweni (M Nadolo 72nd minute)
Chicken Inn: E Chipezeze, M Jackson, I Lawe (M Dube 90th minute), B Mbiriri, D Phiri, C Matawu (C Nkomo 80th minute), B Ncube, J Bernard, G Majika (T Banda 60th minute), L Mhlanga, T Goredema.
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