Sports / Soccer
Highlanders thump Hwange
18 Nov 2015 at 22:58hrs | Views
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) 4
Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
HWANGE'S sudden dip in form continued yesterday when they collapsed like a deck of cards to lose to a rejuvenated Highlanders after a pulsating Castle Lager Premier League encounter played in melting heat at the Colliery yesterday afternoon. The coalminers lost 1-0 to relegated threatened Tsholotsho at the same venue 10 days ago that was followed by a 3-1 clobbering by CAPS United in a Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final tie in the capital over the weekend.
Hopes of redemption yesterday melted in the Hwange heat as early as the opening 33 minutes when they found themselves down by three goals in a disastrous opening stanza. It was, however, the home side who had a bright start by forcing two corner kicks in the opening moments before Highlanders' memorable afternoon started as early as the fourth minute after Hwange defender Andrew Tshuma's intended header back to his goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya fell onto the path of veteran striker Ralph Matema who gratefully tucked home from close range.
The coalminers had a big chance to draw level in the 12th minute through lanky defender Munyaradzi Mungadze, who rose high to connect a curling Pritchard Mpelele corner with a flashing header, which sailed over the crossbar with Bosso goal minder Ariel Sibanda a beaten man.
With Hwange trying to claw back into the game for an equaliser, Highlanders grabbed their second goal in the 30th minute through the league's top marksman Knox Mutizwa who hammered home a grounder from the edge of the box after he had latched onto a sitter by Bosso's most outstanding player of the afternoon Valentine Ndaba.
Chipangano were not allowed any chance to regroup after the second goal as the Bulawayo giants increased their tally three minutes later when Matema completed his brace with a free header inside the box.
Sensing that his afternoon was fast turning into a nightmare, Hwange coach Nation Dube then made a surprise substitution by pulling out central defender Gerald Ndlovu for veteran striker Gilbert Zulu in the 38th minute with the change proving to be the right tonic as the coalminers started launching raids into the Bosso half from thereon.
Hwange started the last half in a blistering fashion and again it was after the introduction of Farai Vimisai who came in for Alec Marime in the 48th minute.
Vimisai's second touch of the ball moments after his introduction almost resulted into a goal but his full bloodied volley found goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda alert. The coalminers' incessant pressure finally paid off in the 53rd minute when central defender David Boriwondo rose high to connect a curling Vimisai corner into the roof of net.
The ball hit the inside of the crossbar, bounced over the goal line and back into play to leave a well-positioned first assistant referee Peter Simutenda signalling a goal.
Hwange continued to camp inside the Highlanders half with a dazzling move involving substitutes Zulu and Vimisai only coming to naught after Newman Sianchali miscued his shot at goal with Sibanda at his mercy in the 66th minute.
Sianchali atoned for his glaring miss five minutes later when he came at the end of a solo run by Mpelele on the left flank before unleashing a thunderbolt past Sibanda.
The introduction of slippery King Nadolo for Douglas Sibanda moments after the Hwange second goal tilted the game back into Highlanders' favour as the substitute started making some darting runs on the right flank which gave Chipangano rearguard some headaches.
Nadolo then set up Mutizwa for his brace on the stroke of full-time. A dejected Nation Dube lashed out at the referee Allen Basvi and also attributed the loss to fatigue. "Yes, we lost but I am not happy with Basvi's officiating as he always made questionable decisions each time he officiates a Hwange game.
To me Highlanders' second goal was offside. I also think these fixtures are not fair to my team as travelling is taking its toll on my boys," said Dube. Bosso technical manager Cosmas Zulu was on cloud nine after the match as he reckoned that the fruits of hard labour were now showing.
"When we came in with Amini Soma-Phiri there were people who doubted our capabilities and even blasted our training set up but look at the results now they are pleasing. Whatever we touch turns into gold, wait and see as we go on," Zulu said.
TEAMS
Hwange: T. Mawaya; P. Dube; D. Boriwondo; G. Ndlovu (G. Zulu, 38th min); M. Mungadze; A. Tshuma; C. Muleya; N. Sianchali; P. Mpelele (I. Mucheneka, 70th min); R. Chinyengetere; A. Marime (F. Vimisai, 48th min).
HIGHLANDERS: A. Sibanda; R. Kutsanzira (O. Tarumbwa. 48th min); B. Kangwa; S. Munawa; K. Mutizwa; F. Chindungwe; D. Sibanda (K. Nadolo, 72th min); E. Mudzingwa; V. Ndaba (E. Muzanenhamo. 76th min); T. Ngulube; R. Matema.
- herald
Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
HWANGE'S sudden dip in form continued yesterday when they collapsed like a deck of cards to lose to a rejuvenated Highlanders after a pulsating Castle Lager Premier League encounter played in melting heat at the Colliery yesterday afternoon. The coalminers lost 1-0 to relegated threatened Tsholotsho at the same venue 10 days ago that was followed by a 3-1 clobbering by CAPS United in a Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final tie in the capital over the weekend.
Hopes of redemption yesterday melted in the Hwange heat as early as the opening 33 minutes when they found themselves down by three goals in a disastrous opening stanza. It was, however, the home side who had a bright start by forcing two corner kicks in the opening moments before Highlanders' memorable afternoon started as early as the fourth minute after Hwange defender Andrew Tshuma's intended header back to his goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya fell onto the path of veteran striker Ralph Matema who gratefully tucked home from close range.
The coalminers had a big chance to draw level in the 12th minute through lanky defender Munyaradzi Mungadze, who rose high to connect a curling Pritchard Mpelele corner with a flashing header, which sailed over the crossbar with Bosso goal minder Ariel Sibanda a beaten man.
With Hwange trying to claw back into the game for an equaliser, Highlanders grabbed their second goal in the 30th minute through the league's top marksman Knox Mutizwa who hammered home a grounder from the edge of the box after he had latched onto a sitter by Bosso's most outstanding player of the afternoon Valentine Ndaba.
Chipangano were not allowed any chance to regroup after the second goal as the Bulawayo giants increased their tally three minutes later when Matema completed his brace with a free header inside the box.
Sensing that his afternoon was fast turning into a nightmare, Hwange coach Nation Dube then made a surprise substitution by pulling out central defender Gerald Ndlovu for veteran striker Gilbert Zulu in the 38th minute with the change proving to be the right tonic as the coalminers started launching raids into the Bosso half from thereon.
Hwange started the last half in a blistering fashion and again it was after the introduction of Farai Vimisai who came in for Alec Marime in the 48th minute.
Vimisai's second touch of the ball moments after his introduction almost resulted into a goal but his full bloodied volley found goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda alert. The coalminers' incessant pressure finally paid off in the 53rd minute when central defender David Boriwondo rose high to connect a curling Vimisai corner into the roof of net.
The ball hit the inside of the crossbar, bounced over the goal line and back into play to leave a well-positioned first assistant referee Peter Simutenda signalling a goal.
Hwange continued to camp inside the Highlanders half with a dazzling move involving substitutes Zulu and Vimisai only coming to naught after Newman Sianchali miscued his shot at goal with Sibanda at his mercy in the 66th minute.
Sianchali atoned for his glaring miss five minutes later when he came at the end of a solo run by Mpelele on the left flank before unleashing a thunderbolt past Sibanda.
The introduction of slippery King Nadolo for Douglas Sibanda moments after the Hwange second goal tilted the game back into Highlanders' favour as the substitute started making some darting runs on the right flank which gave Chipangano rearguard some headaches.
Nadolo then set up Mutizwa for his brace on the stroke of full-time. A dejected Nation Dube lashed out at the referee Allen Basvi and also attributed the loss to fatigue. "Yes, we lost but I am not happy with Basvi's officiating as he always made questionable decisions each time he officiates a Hwange game.
To me Highlanders' second goal was offside. I also think these fixtures are not fair to my team as travelling is taking its toll on my boys," said Dube. Bosso technical manager Cosmas Zulu was on cloud nine after the match as he reckoned that the fruits of hard labour were now showing.
"When we came in with Amini Soma-Phiri there were people who doubted our capabilities and even blasted our training set up but look at the results now they are pleasing. Whatever we touch turns into gold, wait and see as we go on," Zulu said.
TEAMS
Hwange: T. Mawaya; P. Dube; D. Boriwondo; G. Ndlovu (G. Zulu, 38th min); M. Mungadze; A. Tshuma; C. Muleya; N. Sianchali; P. Mpelele (I. Mucheneka, 70th min); R. Chinyengetere; A. Marime (F. Vimisai, 48th min).
HIGHLANDERS: A. Sibanda; R. Kutsanzira (O. Tarumbwa. 48th min); B. Kangwa; S. Munawa; K. Mutizwa; F. Chindungwe; D. Sibanda (K. Nadolo, 72th min); E. Mudzingwa; V. Ndaba (E. Muzanenhamo. 76th min); T. Ngulube; R. Matema.
- herald
Source - Herald
