adminRicky Zililo in Bulawayo
Highlanders………………………………………………. (0) 0
ZPC Kariba…………………………………………………. (0) 0
HIGHLANDERS disappointed thousands of their fans in their opening match of the 2023 Castle Lager PSL season when they settled for a goalless stalemate in a lacklustre performance at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
For ZPC Kariba, a point picked up at Barbourfields is a big achievement and they head into their second match with confidence.
Playing 24 hours after their old foes Dynamos had picked up three valuable points with some sublime display of football at the same venue, beating Hwange 1-0, Bosso were wasteful, and had the visitors been more aggressive, they could have left with maximum points.
Highlanders should have taken the lead in the opening eight minutes, but striker Washington Navaya blew two glorious opportunities when it looked easy to score.
In the third minute, Lynoth Chikuhwa broke on the left side, did well to send a cross to the right where Navaya made a run from the blindside only to direct his header off target.
Five minutes later, Navaya fluffed another glorious opportunity, doing injustice to a good build up that involved Ray Lunga and Divine Mhindirira.
Playmaker Mhindirira, who played as a false number 9, threaded a perfect defence-splitting pass that took Navaya one-on-one with ZPC Kariba goalkeeper, Tapiwa Chilenga, only for him to pass the ball into the goalie’s hands.
Bosso kept probing, but ZPC Kariba were brilliant in the midfield and seemed to have the formula to shut Highlanders’ raids, especially in the midfield where veteran Winston Mhango maintained the shape by providing cover for the central defence.
The midfield trio of Tinotenda Chiunye, Forster Dhemere and Leeroy Murape was full of energy, and caused problems for Bosso.
ZPC Kariba’s undoing was their lack of urgency in transitions, as they seemed to delay their attacks allowing Bosso to recover.
Bosso assistant coach, Antonio Torres, who was in the terraces with Joel Luphahla, while Madinda Ndlovu was in the bug-out, felt ZPC Kariba wasted a lot of time that the match officials didn’t add on.
“We dropped two points and now have to try and get a win in our next game. In football, time is gold and if you’re a team that doesn’t fight for big goals picking a point is a job well done.
“If you look at how much time was wasted in the first half and the referee only added two minutes, that is not good for football,” said Torres.
ZPC Kariba coach Darlington Dodo was full of praise for his lads.
“The boys really gave a good shift. As the match wore on, we had to manage the game well to go home with a point. We couldn’t open up play because doing so against a team like Highlanders could have been costly,” said Dodo.
Online Reporter