Highlanders . . . (1) 2 Monomotapa . . . . . 0 HIGHLANDERS dispatched hapless Monomotapa to keep the race for the 2013 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title alive in an exciting league match played before a disappointing crowd at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
REPORT BY FORTUNE MBELE
Speed merchant Bruce Kangwa was on target in the 38th minute with a thunderbolt past Monoz goalkeeper Fidias Chifamba before young Gabriel Nyoni scored his first for Bosso with a header in the 76th minute.
The Bulawayo giants completed a double over the 2008 champions whom they also dismissed 5-2 in Harare in May. The battle for this year’s honours becomes stiffer as Dynamos leapt to the top after beating Harare City 3-1 at Rufaro Stadium.
Dynamos are now square on 38 points with Harare City. Highlanders follow close, a point behind, sinking Monomotapa deep into the relegation zone after Black Rhinos stunned Shabanie Mine 2-0 at Rimuka Stadium.
Highlanders head coach Kelvin Kaindu was a relieved man following the victory after Bosso lost their previous match to Black Mambas 1-0 in Harare.
“It is good that we have picked up maximum points and scored two goals and we did not concede any. However, it is still worrying that we are creating chances and not scoring. There are still quite a number of games to go and it is still a long way. We will use the coming break to our advantage. Our new players are still adapting to our style of play,” Kaindu said.
The new players Master Masitara (on the bench) and Tinashe Chipunza did not feature in yesterday’s match.
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Biggie Zuze said he believes Monomotapa would survive relegation with 10 matches remaining to the end of the season.
He, however, said he felt Nyoni was offside when he scored the second goal.
“I think we played very well, but our problem is finishing up-front. We were not happy with the second goal. It was a clear offside and I don’t know what the linesman (Abraham Manda) was thinking, but we lost.
“We are going to soldier on in the next games. We will definitely survive relegation and have to capitalise on the five home matches that we have,” Zuze said. He regretted the injury of central defender Lawrence Mhlanga in the BancABC Sup8r Cup semi-final tie against FC Platinum.
A one-man run by Kangwa paid dividends for Bosso in the 38th minute when the left-back cut through the Monomotapa defence from the left and unleashed a screamer inside the box, beating Chifamba all systems out.
After the break, Nyoni sneaked past the Monomotapa defence, beating an offside trap to nod the ball past Chifamba off a cross from Milton Ncube after a Lawson Nkomo corner-kick from the left had eluded the visitors’ defence.
However, a schoolboy celebration by Nyoni earned him a yellow card from referee Allan Basvi after he removed his shorts after scoring the goal.
Highlanders dominated the game with the visitors creating a few chances from Kudakwashe Musharu’s right flank. Substitutes Nelson Meson and Ismael Lawe were introduced late and could have done better for Monomotapa, coming in as impact players. Teams Highlanders: M Diya, L Nkomo, B Kangwa, D Ndlovu, I Mapuranga, M Maphosa, S Munawa, P Moyo (B Chikaka 56th minute), M Mambare (H Masuku (71st minute), M Ncube, G Nyoni (B Ncube 84th minute)
Monomotapa: F Chifamba, N Guyo (I Wadi 48th minute), M Mungombe, C Rukwanhi, A Tavariswa (I Lawe 71st minute), R Chitiyo, O Mwerahari, L Sithole, H Mugoniwa, K Musharu, C Boroma (N Meson 81st minute) Results at a glance: Harare City 1-3 Dynamos, Highlanders 2-0 Monomotapa, Buffaloes 1-0 Chicken Inn, Hwange 0-1 FC Platinum, Black Rhinos 2-0 Shabanie Mine, Motor Action 0-2 Triangle
