Bosso beats Motor Action 2 - 1

Highlanders  (2) 2
Motor Action (0) 1

FORMER Motor Action player Bhekithemba Ncube returned to haunt his former paymasters as Highlanders edged their Harare visitors to consolidate their position at the top of the Castle Lager Premiership at Barbourfields yesterday.
 
The gangly Ncube gave Bosso the lead before goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda's penalty spot increased the lead for the hosts. The visitors were beneficiaries of Gweru referee, Thomas Masaa's inept handling of the match when they scored from the spot again through Merciful Ncube in the second half.

"We tried to find our rhythm espe­cially in the second half after we had fallen to two soft goals, but all credit to Highlanders and if they continue play­ing like this, they will go all the way and lift this league title," said Motor Action gaffer Joey Antipas after the match.

Even legendary former Orlando Pirates player Jomo Sono, who was in the stadium, commended Highlanders for a disciplined performance although he felt the defence was a bit slack.
Sono did not disclose the nature of his visit, but sources said he was eyeing three Highlanders players.

However, like everybody who was at Barbourfields, he had no kind words for the Gweru referee Masaa who chose to be the main actor in an afternoon where the main characters should have been the players.
"Any 50-50 ball was a foul according to the referee and it's so sad," said Antipas.

Even to the neutrals, the referee was a clear candidate for substitution as his actions on the field annoyed the crowd.

The black and white army  went on a 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes, the first goal coming from Ncube's unstoppable shot from inside the box off a Bruce Tshuma cross that gave Motor Action goal√É‚Äö√Ǭ≠keeper Marlon Jani no chance at all.

It was the first goal that Highlanders scored against the veteran Motor Action 'keeper in two years and Bosso's first win over the Bulls since 2009.

As the visitors were still trying to set­tle, Amahlolanyama proved to be no kind hosts and kept on charging and when Beaven Chikaka was about to go for goal after Jani's spill inside the box, former Chicken Inn player Morris Kadzola chose to bring him down and the referee Massaa, rightfully pointed to the spot. For his efforts, Kadzola earned himself a yellow card.

Up stepped Sibanda to send his com­petitor, Warriors Jani, the wrong way.

Soweto erupted, Barbourfields erupted and suddenly many in the sta­dium smelt victory and victory it proved to be after those 90 gruelling minutes.

Sibanda's goal ensured Bosso stretched their unbeaten run to a Pre­miership record 20 games.

Credit should be given to the visitors for giving it their all especially after the second goal but somehow, they found it hard to break the Highlanders defence that had skipper Innocent Mapuranga rarely playing below par.

Had it not been for the top drawer performance by Eric Mudzingwa, Sibanda and Tshuma, Highlanders could have gone to the breather tied with the visitors.

In the 27th minute Isaac Masame watched in agony as his blistering free-kick from outside the box went agonis­ingly wide with Bosso goalkeeper Sibanda a bit too slow to react. The Highlanders goalkeeper was to be called into action in the 39th minute after another Mapuranga mistake from a Protasho Kabwe cross found its way into the goal area.

The second half proved to be a phys­ical game than anything although Chikaka could have scored Bosso's third, two minutes into the second half but his header found a well positioned Jani alert.
Coach Kelvin Kaindu pulled out Masimba Mambare who was not at his best for young Arnold Ndiweni, seven minutes into the second half and 12 minutes later, Ndiweni brought in a nice cross that found Graham Ncube inside the box.

Grahame weaved his way past two Motor Action defenders and was hacked down right inside the box.

The far side assistant referee adjudged that Ncube had indeed been brought down as he went for the kill, but Massa in a moment of madness sig­nalled a Motor Action foul and showed the Bosso forward a yellow card for div­ing. Graham appears to have become a target for referees for simulation and this was the umpteenth time that Bosso were denied what looked a genuine penalty.

"I suspect the referee handled the game to his best of ability," said Kaindu cynically after the match.

"The boys played well but like we have witnessed against Harare teams, they seem to come here with inside information on how we play in terms of our strengths and weakness and today it was glaringly clear because they con­gested the midfield in order to shut out Maphosa and Rio (Peter Moyo)," said Kaindu.

Teams:
Highlanders:  A. Sibanda, B. Kangwa, I. Mapu√É‚Äö√Ǭ≠ranga, E. Mudzingwa, B. Tshuma, Maphosa, P .Moyo, M. Mambare (A Ndiweni 52nd minute), B. Ncube, B. Chikaka (C Dube 90th minute), G. Ncube ( H. Moyo 72nd minute)

Motor Action: M. Jani, J. Bernard, B. Chimwanuchere, M. Kadzola, G. Moyo, J. Jam (E Tembo 70th minute), I. Masame, P. Kabwe, F. Ncube (N Maroto 46th minute), M. Ncube, Y. Ebabali (M . Mburayi 85th minute).