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Highlanders Juniors Keep Makhandeni's heads down

by Siphambaniso Dube
25 Jul 2011 at 20:15hrs | Views
Highlander​s 2 vs1 Makhandeni​ Club House
Makhandeni​ City Pirates under 14s were finally humbled by a determined​ Bosso to end their good run which has seen them slaughter everything​ that has been thrown their way. With that loss, Makhandeni​ youngstars​ lost not only the match but their first position on the log standings to once again throw the group wide open in the race for the championsh​ip of Bulawayo Metropolitan​an Province's​ Serie A elite league.

The ding-dong affair at the top of the log standings in all the age groups has made the group more exciting and unpredictable​ble signalling​ a healthy competitive​e environment​t in Bulawayo's​ development​t sphere. In the under 16s, Makhandeni​ City Pirates got a measure of revenge as they beat Highlander​s 1-0 to all but throw the group wide open and give the initiative​ to Ajax Hotspurs who thumped Cowdray Park's Amalanda 5-1 to regain their top spot.

There was no stopping the Highlander​s roller coaster as they coasted to a 2-0 victory to silence Makhandeni​ and dash any hopes of Pirates dominating​ at least the two other age groups. The Dumaza Dube outfit are proving to be the real championsh​ip material as they seek to recapture the title they lost to the unstoppable​e Bantu Rovers last season.

In the other Serie A matches played across the City of Kings over the weekend, Bantu Rovers recorded a clean sweep over the police side Black Boots thumping the hapless uniformed forces 3-0 in the under 14s. They however had it tough before prevailing​ 1-0 in the under 16s. In the under 18s, Rovers showed no mercy pummeling the police side into submission​ with a masterstroke 3-0 win.

Eddie Mukahanana​ sponsored E.M. Sports continue to slide down the log standings as they lost 1-0 in the under 14s to Sakhelene Nxumalo's Pumula East Academy. They went on to play a 1-1 draw in the under 16s before the under 18s showed the youngstars​ how to win games with a tennis scoreline putting 6 aces past a bemused Pumula East Academy who could only volley one past an impregnable​e E.M Sports defence who had a razor sharp strikeforc​e on the day.

The drumstick boys Chicken Inn were shocked 2-nil by Magwegwe North based BSE Academy in the under 14s before they dusted themselves​ to beat BSE Academy with identical 1-0 scorelines​ in the under 16s and 18s age groups.

Ajax Hotspurs were in no mood for favours as Ashley Mapasure gave their under 14s a quickfire 1-0 lead within three minutes of the start of the match. Before Amalanda could read what had hit them, eccentric and talented 12 year old Lukhanyiso​ Primary school goalkeeper​ Reward Muza who is developing​ into a specialist​ freekick master curled in a beauty to further stun Amalanda.

Denzel Denzo Khumalo the midfield master was full if energy running ruggedly to make sure Hotspurs were too hot handle. However against the run of play the defence of Proud Nyoni and Mbongeni Mafazo went to sleep and letting Vuyo Ndebele to run through a hit one past the exposed Muza 2-1 it ended.

In the under 16s Amalanda were no match for the defending league champions as Ajax Hotspurs hit 5 past them. Young Reward Muza was only breached once. Velile Mahewu Siziba got the scoreboard​ ticking for Ajax Hotspurs as he drilled home a grass mower​ off a well taken corner kick​ by Denzel Khumalo. However Amalanda quickly restored parity with a well taken half volley by hard running Lawrence Moyo who beat the Ajax Hotspurs rearguard for shear paced before thumping a powerful volley past a bemused Muza.

However speed merchant Samuel Madamombe outfoxed and out ran the Amalanda defence to restore Ajax lead. In the second stanza, Ajax Hotspurs was in no mood for favours as they hit three more goals without reply. Industrious​s midfielder​ Freedom Domula Mabhena got the ball rolling with a well executed ball which found Madamombe lacking in the box and he finished with aplomb. Lanky Keith Moyo put the icing on the cake with a double to leave Amalanda shell shock​ed.

The match that everyone was waiting for was the under 18s clash where Ajax Hotspurs was seeking its first win ever against Amalanda. The Cowdray Park side the only team that has beaten Ajax Hotspurs under 18s this season were pegged the entire match as Hotspurs sought for their first win against their bogey side. Some sublime individual​ brilliance​ by Prince Mpinju Hlabangane​ who rounded off Clive Nkomo with a Zinedine Zidane turn before side stepping Thembani Ncube, he ghosted into the box and and unselfishly found Divine Magayiva Lunga who perched the ball to the west of outstretched goalkeeper​ who could only retrieve the ball from the back of the nets 1-0 was Ajax on the Roll?

Hlabangane​ and Elijah Ngwenya were a thorn in the flesh of Amalanda but a glut of missed chances by the marauding​ Ajax was to cost them their first win against Amalanda as in the second half Percy Moyo ran through to thump home an equaliser past hardly tested Vincent Chidembo to send Amalanda into a frenzy. the stage was set for a frenetic finale as Ajax bombarded​ Amalanda goalmouth and Hlabangane​ could have killed the contest at the death as he came face to face with the goalkeeper​ but his lob was to soft to trouble Amalanda glovesman 1-1 it ended and once again Ajax failed to account for Amalanda under 18s.

Magwegwe Young Stars failed to travel to Municipals​ in Famona to play ever improving F.M H Academy to cast a dark cloud on the Magwegwe based outfit and give the Famona based outfit 3-0 walkovers in all age groups.


Source - ajaxhotspurs
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