Sports / Soccer
Bosso ends winless streak
03 Nov 2014 at 22:02hrs | Views
Highlanders 2 - 1 Chiredzi
STAND-IN Highlanders coach Mark Mathe, heaved a huge sigh of relief yesterday as the Bulawayo giants ended their seven-match winless streak in all competitions.
Bosso went into yesterday's encounter against relegated Chiredzi FC with one thing - to put an end to their six-game poor run in the league, having last collected maximum points on Week 21 when they beat FC Platinum 1-0 in Zvishavane. Highlanders were also beaten 3-0 by Harare City in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals.
Ozias Zibande struck a brace at Hartsfield Stadium to hand Bosso their third victory in the second half of the season having played 13 games. Yesterday's long wait was Mathe's fourth league game in charge following Kelvin Kaindu's resignation after a string of poor results.
It was a victory that the former champions have been hoping for as pressure had been mounting with every passing week, but they had to labour for their win as Chiredzi FC kept them on the back foot with an inspiring second half performance.
On the quarter-hour mark an alert Zibande quickly reacted to poke home a rebound after Chiredzi FC's goalkeeper Simon Kafitire had failed to cleanly deal with a well connected Valentine Ndaba grounder off a Gabriel Nyoni cross from the right.
Nine minutes later Zibande deservedly gave Bosso a cushion heading home a Knox Mutizwa cross from the right after a beautiful build up involving Mthulisi Maphosa and Nyoni.
Highlanders' bench celebrations told the story of a relieved group, and one can understand their delight as they last had a winning bonus after their August 24 victory over FC Platinum.
With a bit of better precision in the final third, Bosso could have killed the contest in the first half as they were dominant in midfield, created chances but had a poor conversion rate.
"This victory didn't come easy as we have been playing well of late, seeing positives but today we managed to grind the result. Goals could have been more but we have to work on our conversion rate as well as our defending. We took off the pedal towards the end of the first half and in the second stanza Chiredzi FC came out of their shell and they scored," said a visibly relieved Mathe.
After the breather Highlanders tried to increase their lead with Charles Sibanda, who missed the Hwange 1-3 defeat due to disciplinary issues, narrowly missing the upright in the 54th minute off a Ndaba cross.
Sibanda and Maphosa were outstanding in midfield, ably providing cover for their defence as well as helping in attack.
Despite pressing their opponents, a lapse in concentration at the back allowed Chiredzi FC to pull one back through Sam Msimbu, controlling a Malvern Gaki cross before leaving Munyaradzi Diya for dead and slotting into an empty net in the 66th minute.
The goal unsettled the hosts with Gaki giving Highlanders' defence torrid moments together with former Bosso junior striker Trevor Ndlovu.
Sensing danger, Mathe introduced youngsters Godfrey Makaruse, Mgcini Sibanda and King Nadolo for Knox Mutizwa, Gabriel Nyoni and Valentine Ndaba. Chiredzi FC later played with 10-man following a red card given to Katifire in the 86th minute for a lunge on Makaruse.
The expulsion of Katifire seemed to have incensed Chiredzi FC's coach Gishon Ntini who called his players out of the pitch in protest at a time when they had used all their substitutes.
After a nine-minute stoppage, defender Tatenda Kanyemba took the gloves and play resumed with another piece of drama that saw Muneri Muchineripi throwing a water bottle at Ntini after the altercation as players wanted to continue with the game.
Ntini was refusing to have the game continue even on the insistence of his captain David Sengu and the experienced Muchineripi.
"The referees were slightly biased towards Highlanders who I must say played with zeal today. I don't know if the rules of the game have changed because after giving the goalkeeper a red card, he gave us a goal kick instead of a penalty to Highlanders. That really puzzled me," said Ntini.
Nkosana Nduna had already blown for offside before the goalkeeper's dangerous tackle.
Teams
Highlanders: Munyaradzi Diya, Simon Munawa, Bruce Kangwa, Felix Chindungwe, Dumisani Ndlovu, Mthulisi Maphosa, Knox Mutizwa (Godfrey Makaruse, 69th minute), Valentine Ndaba (King Nadolo, 81st minute), Charles Sibanda, Gabriel Nyoni (Mgcini Sibanda, 74th minute), Ozias Zibande
Chiredzi FC: Simon Kafitire, Tinashe Mutete (Trevor Ndlovu, 71st minute), Durban Bakali, Gift Kwaramba (Malvern Gaki, 46th minute), Munashe Chinembeza, Muneri Muchineripi, Tawanda Mfungu (Kudzai Nyamupfukudza, 80th minute), Tawanda Muyendi, Sam Msimbu, Tatenda Kanyemba, David Sengu.
STAND-IN Highlanders coach Mark Mathe, heaved a huge sigh of relief yesterday as the Bulawayo giants ended their seven-match winless streak in all competitions.
Bosso went into yesterday's encounter against relegated Chiredzi FC with one thing - to put an end to their six-game poor run in the league, having last collected maximum points on Week 21 when they beat FC Platinum 1-0 in Zvishavane. Highlanders were also beaten 3-0 by Harare City in the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals.
Ozias Zibande struck a brace at Hartsfield Stadium to hand Bosso their third victory in the second half of the season having played 13 games. Yesterday's long wait was Mathe's fourth league game in charge following Kelvin Kaindu's resignation after a string of poor results.
It was a victory that the former champions have been hoping for as pressure had been mounting with every passing week, but they had to labour for their win as Chiredzi FC kept them on the back foot with an inspiring second half performance.
On the quarter-hour mark an alert Zibande quickly reacted to poke home a rebound after Chiredzi FC's goalkeeper Simon Kafitire had failed to cleanly deal with a well connected Valentine Ndaba grounder off a Gabriel Nyoni cross from the right.
Nine minutes later Zibande deservedly gave Bosso a cushion heading home a Knox Mutizwa cross from the right after a beautiful build up involving Mthulisi Maphosa and Nyoni.
Highlanders' bench celebrations told the story of a relieved group, and one can understand their delight as they last had a winning bonus after their August 24 victory over FC Platinum.
With a bit of better precision in the final third, Bosso could have killed the contest in the first half as they were dominant in midfield, created chances but had a poor conversion rate.
"This victory didn't come easy as we have been playing well of late, seeing positives but today we managed to grind the result. Goals could have been more but we have to work on our conversion rate as well as our defending. We took off the pedal towards the end of the first half and in the second stanza Chiredzi FC came out of their shell and they scored," said a visibly relieved Mathe.
After the breather Highlanders tried to increase their lead with Charles Sibanda, who missed the Hwange 1-3 defeat due to disciplinary issues, narrowly missing the upright in the 54th minute off a Ndaba cross.
Despite pressing their opponents, a lapse in concentration at the back allowed Chiredzi FC to pull one back through Sam Msimbu, controlling a Malvern Gaki cross before leaving Munyaradzi Diya for dead and slotting into an empty net in the 66th minute.
The goal unsettled the hosts with Gaki giving Highlanders' defence torrid moments together with former Bosso junior striker Trevor Ndlovu.
Sensing danger, Mathe introduced youngsters Godfrey Makaruse, Mgcini Sibanda and King Nadolo for Knox Mutizwa, Gabriel Nyoni and Valentine Ndaba. Chiredzi FC later played with 10-man following a red card given to Katifire in the 86th minute for a lunge on Makaruse.
The expulsion of Katifire seemed to have incensed Chiredzi FC's coach Gishon Ntini who called his players out of the pitch in protest at a time when they had used all their substitutes.
After a nine-minute stoppage, defender Tatenda Kanyemba took the gloves and play resumed with another piece of drama that saw Muneri Muchineripi throwing a water bottle at Ntini after the altercation as players wanted to continue with the game.
Ntini was refusing to have the game continue even on the insistence of his captain David Sengu and the experienced Muchineripi.
"The referees were slightly biased towards Highlanders who I must say played with zeal today. I don't know if the rules of the game have changed because after giving the goalkeeper a red card, he gave us a goal kick instead of a penalty to Highlanders. That really puzzled me," said Ntini.
Nkosana Nduna had already blown for offside before the goalkeeper's dangerous tackle.
Teams
Highlanders: Munyaradzi Diya, Simon Munawa, Bruce Kangwa, Felix Chindungwe, Dumisani Ndlovu, Mthulisi Maphosa, Knox Mutizwa (Godfrey Makaruse, 69th minute), Valentine Ndaba (King Nadolo, 81st minute), Charles Sibanda, Gabriel Nyoni (Mgcini Sibanda, 74th minute), Ozias Zibande
Chiredzi FC: Simon Kafitire, Tinashe Mutete (Trevor Ndlovu, 71st minute), Durban Bakali, Gift Kwaramba (Malvern Gaki, 46th minute), Munashe Chinembeza, Muneri Muchineripi, Tawanda Mfungu (Kudzai Nyamupfukudza, 80th minute), Tawanda Muyendi, Sam Msimbu, Tatenda Kanyemba, David Sengu.
Source - Chronicle
