Bosso held

Highlanders 2 - 2 University of Notre Dame
FORMER Highlanders coach Bobby Clarke feels Ali "Baba" Dube played a crucial role in the success that he enjoyed during the days he was coaching the club.

Speaking in an interview after watching his team University of Notre Dame draw with Highlanders in a poorly attended but exciting international friendly match at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday afternoon, Clarke said Dube discovered all the players he coached such as

Willard Manshinkila-Khumalo, Peter "Oxo" Nkomo, the late Mercedes "Rambo" Sibanda, Sydney Zimunya, Nhamo Shambira and Netsai "Super" Moyo.

In an afternoon at which an estimated crowd of  1 000 came to Emagumeni, it was Highlanders who got the first goals through Charles Sibanda and Ozias Zibande before Patrick Hodan and Leon Brown found the nets for the visitors.

Clarke said while there has been hype that he drafted the players into the first team and played well despite being novices, it was Dube who played a big role as he was then the juniors coach.

Dube was also at the match venue yesterday.

Clarke also said he was glad that players who featured in his team three decades ago were now part of Highlanders' technical team.
Khumalo is the Highlanders team manager while Nkomo is the goalkeepers' coach.

Highlanders' youngster, King Nodolo stole the show despite coming in for just five minutes as he showed great potential and eagerness in front of goal.

The team's supporters spoke volumes of the players with most wishing Nodolo the "gem" had been introduced much earlier.

Bosso's gaffer, Kelvin Kaindu said the youngster showed a lot of promise and with the right grooming Nodolo was likely to become a great player.

Highlanders fielded a full strength squad while most people were expecting the coaches to give the fringe players an opportunity, but Kaindu said an international friendly match was different and one should field the best.

Bosso drew first blood with an early goal in the eighth minute when Simon Munawa came at the end of a cheeky back heeler by impressive Knox Mutizwa and the former laid a cross in the box which met on the volley by Sibanda, for the opener.

Highlanders piled on the pressure, toying around with the ball. However, despite several attempts they failed to extend their lead. And then it was Notre Dame who came to the party.

And they duly equalised in the 32nd minute through Hodan who got the ball just inside the penalty box, blasting it past a stranded Ariel Sibanda in goals for Bosso.

Ten minutes later Zibande restored Highlanders' lead after receiving a sitter from Mutizwa who had made a good run before releasing it to the diminutive striker who shot past Patrick Wall, the Notre Dame's goalkeeper.

Highlanders dominated the exchanges in the early part of the second half and Mutizwa could have added on the Highlanders account but his speculative delivery hit the cross bar. However, Valentine Ndaba, who had a good game, directed the rebound to the skies. All that happened in the 47th minute.

Six minutes later the hardworking Sibanda miscued the ball in the box, after another cross from Mutizwa while Welcome Ndiweni's shot was blocked by Wall.

Substitute Brown, the only black player in the visitors' line-up, levelled the scores in the 79th minute with an overhead kick.

There was a lighter moment at the end of the game, when the visiting players removed their jerseys and gave them to Highlanders players, perhaps as part of their souvenirs. However, the Highlanders could not reciprocate by giving the tourists theirs to the amusement of the spectators.

"Yiyo yodwa abayithembileyo,'' said a spectator.