Highlanders . . . . . (1)2 Chapungu . . . . . . . . . 0
FORTUNE MBELE SPORTS REPORTER
HIGHLANDERS attacking midfielder Charles Sibanda will share the Golden Boot award with How Mine striker Kudakwashe Musharu after he failed to get a 13th goal at Hartsfield Rugby Ground as Bosso beat Chapungu in the last Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match yesterday.
Sibanda was behind the two goals scored by youngsters Godfrey Makaruse and King Nadolo in the 26th and 55th minute.
As Highlanders rose to position five on the log standings as Hwange lost 1-2 to Buffaloes in Mutare and Chicken also fell 0-1 to Harare City in Harare.
The 2010 soccer star of the year, who was on Saturday voted into the 11 2014 Castle Lager soccer stars, yesterday congratulated Musharu for sharing the top goalscorer award with him.
“I tried since the start of the season and I tried my best today (yesterday) and created the two goals. I think my performance was good. We had a bad spell as a team in the season, but that is part of football, it happens. I am happy, I wanted to be top goalscorer but I am happy for Musharu too, he played well,” Sibanda said.
In yesterday’s game, it was a brilliant performance from young stars Makaruse, Nadolo and Tapiwa Dephistara who combined well with the later setting up Gabriel Nyoni whose shot 12 minutes into the game was saved by Chapungu goalkeeper Roy Mazingi.
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In the 26th minute, Sibanda initiated a move that involved a build-up by Dephistara and Nadolo who tore the Chapungu midfield apart.
Nadolo then set up Makaruse, who first fumbled the ball inside the box before unleashing a left-footer to beat Mazingi.
Sibanda was once again in the thick of things in the 55th minute on the left with impressive hard work, Nadolo blasted the ball past Mazingi while tightly marked by Chapungu defenders Charles Mativenga and Blessing Zabula.
Highlanders coach Mark Mathe spoke highly of the youthful players.
“They are the future of the club and we need to encourage them to play and that is why we played them today. The win could not have come at a better time. We would like to acknowledge our sponsors BancABC and the multitude of Highlanders fans. Although we were not compact enough we are happy with the performance of the boys. We congratulate Dynamos for winning the championship,” Mathe said.
His counterpart at Chapungu, John Nyikadzino said: “Every coach would want to get maximum points, but we went to sleep and conceded silly goals. I am happy we survived relegation and we expect better things from Chapungu next season.”
The airmen only came close to scoring through Philip Marufu on the stroke of half time from inside the box, but his effort was punched away for a corner by Bosso goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya who was pulled out injured in the 62nd minute and replaced by Ariel Sibanda.
