Sports / Soccer
Bosso beat ZPC to break yet another jinx
27 Jun 2016 at 02:01hrs | Views
Highlanders 1-0 ZPC Kariba
A FIRST half strike by youngster Adrian Silla gave Highlanders their first Castle Lager Premier Soccer League victory over ZPC Kariba and stretched Bosso's lead on the log by two points.
It seems 2016 could be Highlanders' year as they continue to break "records". First they put to an end a 10-year league jinx against Dynamos with a 2-0 victory at Rufaro Stadium in Harare, and followed that yesterday with their first win against ZPC Kariba in their fifth meeting.
ZPC Kariba, who were promoted into the Premiership in 2014, have been Highlanders' bogey side, winning three out of their four meetings and drawing once. Two of those victories were registered in Bulawayo where they beat Bosso 3-1 in 2014 and 1-0 last season.
However, the electricity generators' dominance came to an end at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday when Silla's 40th minute left volley from inside the box beat goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya.
The build-up to the goal saw Benson Phiri's cross from the right being tipped to the left by Mawaya and the ball fell to overlapping left-back Honest Moyo, who sent in a cross that was headed goal ward by Prince Dube, but his effort was cleared off the line by Lincoln Zvasiya. Zvasiya's clearance fell to Silla, who hit the ball with aplomb to give Bosso the lead.
That goal injected life into Highlanders as they finished the first half strongly, with Erick Mudzingwa bringing the best out of Mawaya with a ferociously struck free kick that the keeper parried for a corner.
Bosso had a chance to go to the break two up following a swift counterattack started by Dube who broke on the left and sent a through pass to Bruce Kangwa. Kangwa chose to play the ball to Knox Mutizwa, but the Bidvest Wits bound striker sold a dummy that yielded no result as ZPC Kariba defender Tawanda Nyamandwe cleared the ball to safety.
The second half saw the visitors coming back fired-up, with Zvasiya pushed from central defence to defensive midfield and the former Kaizer Chiefs' defender imposed himself, taking control of midfield.
Munyaradzi Kanyarimwe almost beat Highlanders goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni in the 48th minute with a speculative cross from the left, but the keeper parried the ball onto the crossbar. Just after the hour mark, Nyoni produced a brilliant save, stopping a close range effort from Limited Chikafa, who had been fed by Zvasiya.
A timely block by Highlanders captain Felix Chindungwe in the 83rd minute made sure Nyoni kept his third consecutive clean sheet, having been given the nod ahead of Ariel Sibanda who was on the bench.
ZPC Kariba forward Wisdom Mutasa did well to turn and shoot from inside the box, and had Chindungwe not stretched his leg, Mutasa would have beaten Nyoni at the near post. ZPC Kariba coach Sunday Chidzambwa said it's back to the drawing board for his team.
"We lost to a good side. We gave our best in the last 45 minutes and could have scored twice, but it wasn't our day. There are still 19 games to play, so it's game on," said Chidzambwa.
His Highlanders counterpart Erol Akbay was happy that despite being on the back foot for the better part of the second half, they managed to get maximum points. "We forgot to play football in the second half and gave them too much space in midfield. But what is important is that we managed to win and I'm happy we got maximum points," Akbay said.
Teams
Highlanders – Njabulo Nyoni, Benson Phiri, Honest Moyo, Peter Muduhwa, Felix Chindungwe, Erick Mudzingwa, Simon Munawa (Tendai Ngulube, 68th minute), Adrian Silla (Brian Banda, 70th minute), Bruce Kangwa, Knox Mutizwa, Prince Dube
ZPC Kariba – Takabva Mawaya, Lincoln Zvasiya, Sylvester Appiah, Tawanda Nyamandwe, Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe, Tawanda Munyanduri, Timire Mamvura (Daniel Chakupe, 68th minute), Godknows Mangani (Protasho Kabwe, 52ndminute), Never Tigere, Limited Chikafa, Tineyi Chitora (Wisdom Mutasa, 78th minute)
Results
Friday: Chapungu 2-2 How Mine
Saturday: Ngezi Platinum 1-0 Border Strikers, Harare City 0-2 Dynamos, Tsholotsho FC 0-1 Chicken Inn, FC Platinum 2-0 Triangle United
Yesterday: Caps United 2-1 Bulawayo City, Highlanders 1-0 ZPC Kariba, Hwange 0-1 Mutare City Rovers
A FIRST half strike by youngster Adrian Silla gave Highlanders their first Castle Lager Premier Soccer League victory over ZPC Kariba and stretched Bosso's lead on the log by two points.
It seems 2016 could be Highlanders' year as they continue to break "records". First they put to an end a 10-year league jinx against Dynamos with a 2-0 victory at Rufaro Stadium in Harare, and followed that yesterday with their first win against ZPC Kariba in their fifth meeting.
ZPC Kariba, who were promoted into the Premiership in 2014, have been Highlanders' bogey side, winning three out of their four meetings and drawing once. Two of those victories were registered in Bulawayo where they beat Bosso 3-1 in 2014 and 1-0 last season.
However, the electricity generators' dominance came to an end at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday when Silla's 40th minute left volley from inside the box beat goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya.
The build-up to the goal saw Benson Phiri's cross from the right being tipped to the left by Mawaya and the ball fell to overlapping left-back Honest Moyo, who sent in a cross that was headed goal ward by Prince Dube, but his effort was cleared off the line by Lincoln Zvasiya. Zvasiya's clearance fell to Silla, who hit the ball with aplomb to give Bosso the lead.
That goal injected life into Highlanders as they finished the first half strongly, with Erick Mudzingwa bringing the best out of Mawaya with a ferociously struck free kick that the keeper parried for a corner.
Bosso had a chance to go to the break two up following a swift counterattack started by Dube who broke on the left and sent a through pass to Bruce Kangwa. Kangwa chose to play the ball to Knox Mutizwa, but the Bidvest Wits bound striker sold a dummy that yielded no result as ZPC Kariba defender Tawanda Nyamandwe cleared the ball to safety.
The second half saw the visitors coming back fired-up, with Zvasiya pushed from central defence to defensive midfield and the former Kaizer Chiefs' defender imposed himself, taking control of midfield.
Munyaradzi Kanyarimwe almost beat Highlanders goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni in the 48th minute with a speculative cross from the left, but the keeper parried the ball onto the crossbar. Just after the hour mark, Nyoni produced a brilliant save, stopping a close range effort from Limited Chikafa, who had been fed by Zvasiya.
A timely block by Highlanders captain Felix Chindungwe in the 83rd minute made sure Nyoni kept his third consecutive clean sheet, having been given the nod ahead of Ariel Sibanda who was on the bench.
ZPC Kariba forward Wisdom Mutasa did well to turn and shoot from inside the box, and had Chindungwe not stretched his leg, Mutasa would have beaten Nyoni at the near post. ZPC Kariba coach Sunday Chidzambwa said it's back to the drawing board for his team.
"We lost to a good side. We gave our best in the last 45 minutes and could have scored twice, but it wasn't our day. There are still 19 games to play, so it's game on," said Chidzambwa.
His Highlanders counterpart Erol Akbay was happy that despite being on the back foot for the better part of the second half, they managed to get maximum points. "We forgot to play football in the second half and gave them too much space in midfield. But what is important is that we managed to win and I'm happy we got maximum points," Akbay said.
Teams
Highlanders – Njabulo Nyoni, Benson Phiri, Honest Moyo, Peter Muduhwa, Felix Chindungwe, Erick Mudzingwa, Simon Munawa (Tendai Ngulube, 68th minute), Adrian Silla (Brian Banda, 70th minute), Bruce Kangwa, Knox Mutizwa, Prince Dube
ZPC Kariba – Takabva Mawaya, Lincoln Zvasiya, Sylvester Appiah, Tawanda Nyamandwe, Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe, Tawanda Munyanduri, Timire Mamvura (Daniel Chakupe, 68th minute), Godknows Mangani (Protasho Kabwe, 52ndminute), Never Tigere, Limited Chikafa, Tineyi Chitora (Wisdom Mutasa, 78th minute)
Results
Friday: Chapungu 2-2 How Mine
Saturday: Ngezi Platinum 1-0 Border Strikers, Harare City 0-2 Dynamos, Tsholotsho FC 0-1 Chicken Inn, FC Platinum 2-0 Triangle United
Yesterday: Caps United 2-1 Bulawayo City, Highlanders 1-0 ZPC Kariba, Hwange 0-1 Mutare City Rovers
Source - chronicle
