Highlanders beaten by Hwange at Barbourfields

Highlanders 0 - 1 Hwange

A solitary first half strike by unheralded Kennedy Kachena helped visitors Hwange to upstage Highlanders at Barbourfields yesterday and dent the Bulawayo giants' hopes of closing the gap on log leaders FC Platinum.

Kachena found the goal that made all the difference and handed Hwange the three priceless points in the 19th minute.

This was Highlanders' second defeat at home following their loss against Motor action a couple of weeks ago.

For a team like Highlanders to lose five games in the first half of the season is certainly not a good statistic, given the emergence of new players like Platinum in the championship race.

Highlanders coach Mkhuphali Masuku opted for a congested midfield playing with one striker, Vincent Nzombe who was substituted in the second half.

Hwange dominated the first half and did not give Highlanders any breathing space as Tenant Chilumba's coal miners marked them man for man.

Highlanders' best player on view, Rahman Kutsanzira had a chance in the third minute to score through a hard hit shot that however struck the cross bar and went out for a corner.

The resultant dead ball yielded nothing for Bosso.

A minute later Hwange, who had recovered from Highlanders' effort, were handed a chance through a defensive blunder by central defender Innocent Mapuranga.

Instead of clearing, Mapuranga's shot found Kachena who blasted it towards the goal but an alert Arial Sibanda in goals for Highlanders punched it back into play.

Kachena then got the breakthrough for Hwange when they won a corner kick following their persistence in the Bosso box. Munyaradzi Mungadze opted to take the corner and found Kachena who leapt the highest beating goalkeeper Sibanda.

Lawson Nkomo's shot from a Lewis Matawu cross almost surprised Hwange goalminder Timothy Sibanda who made a last minute effort to keep it out and tipped it for a corner.

On the stroke of half time Bosso's Kutsanzira's shot went over the bar.

In the second half Hwange played a more defensive game and managed to keep Nzombe and later Njabulo Ncube at bay. Highlanders had the better of the exchanges in the second session of the game but they continued to fire blanks. Five minutes into the match Arnold Tshuma received the ball from Nzombe and his shot was pushed out for a corner.

Tshuma lasted over again in the 57th minute after Matawu had found him just outside the box.

Bosso midfield anchorman Simon Munawa had Highlanders' best opportunity to score in the 59th minute.

Kutsanzira spotted Munawa unmarked just outside the box and passed the ball to him.

Munawa raced into the box and with only the goalkeeper to beat he released a shot that Timothy Sibanda had to work hard to keep out.

The corner kick taken by Nkomo was headed towards goal by Tshuma but it was well taken by Timothy Sibanda.

Sibanda was left exposed in the 69th minute when Hwange won a free-kick a few meters from the Highlanders box. Thonisani Sibelo connected with substitute Rodwell Chinyengetere who came in for Tongai Mangwendere in the 62nd minute.

Highlanders substitute Xolani Ncube showed some signs of being a good striker if played regularly and his inclusion added some flair in the Bosso strike force.

Coach Masuku said they had lost out on the chance to increase their points tally but they were still optimistic.

Chilumba reckoned that they came and got what they wanted.

"We wanted to win this game. We prepared hard for the match. However there was lack of concentration in our strike force. I give credit to Gilbert Zulu who worked hard," he said.

Teams:
Highlanders: A Sibanda, G Banda, G Lunga, I Mapuranga, S Munawa, A Tshuma (M Mburayi 62nd minute), E Mudzingwa, L Matawu (X Ncube 62nd minute), R Kutsanzira, L Nkomo, V Nzombe (N Ncube 79th minute).
Hwange: T Sibanda, A Tshuma, N Siwela, G Ndlovu, A Katebe, K Kachena, T Mangwendere (R Chinyengetere 62nd minute), G Zulu, W Mhango. T Sibelo, M Mungadze.