Sports / Soccer
Bosso dismiss Border Strikers to close the gap
05 Sep 2016 at 06:41hrs | Views
Border Strikers 1 2 Highlanders
HIGHLANDERS came from behind to beat relegation-haunted Border Strikers in an entertaining Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played before a near capacity crowd at Dulivhadzimu yesterday.
In essence, it was a game of two halves with the home team controlling first half in which they opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Tabwe Kalunga sent in a powerful shot that whistled past Highlanders goalminder Ariel Sibanda.
Sibanda had failed to clear a Clever Mutendebvure shot and Kalunga punished him for that.
Mutendebvure had earlier on had a "goal" disallowed in the third minute when referee Munyaradzi Majoni ruled his effort for off-side.
Highlanders were completely outclassed in the first half by the Beitbridge-based minnows although they tried to make some purposeful build-ups from the back.
Their strike-force had a hard time trying to penetrate Border Strikers defence which was well marshalled by Michael Variso.
But Bosso's Dutch coach Erol Akbay proved to be the better coach of the day when he introduced veteran striker Ralph Matema for Felix Chundungwe in the 67th minute and Matema did not waste time as he found the equaliser for his side through a powerful header off an Allen Gahadzikwa's cross from the left.
And from that moment, Bosso turned on the heat on the hosts, forcing them to concede over four corner kicks in a space of 10 minutes.
Matema's goal sent the Amahlolanyama fans, who equally matched their opponents, into a frenzy.
Border Strikers coach Never Malunga made a substitution blunder which killed the team's rhythm in the 75th minute when he introduced Borges Junidly and removed the impressive playmaker Munyaradzi Chirape.
His opposite number Akbay introduced another striker Douglas Sibanda for a visibly tired Tendai Ndlovu.
The introduction of Sibanda was the game changer as the Bulawayo giants started playing more attacking football and camped inside the Border Strikers half for 10 minutes in search of an winner.
And when the home side thought they had secured a point from an imminent draw, Highlanders struck again through Nhlanhla Ndlovu in the 90th minute to silence the home team.
Some Bosso fans destroyed the perimeter fence near the VIP section as they celebrated the second goal and the police were swift to arrest the near chaotic situation.
HIGHLANDERS came from behind to beat relegation-haunted Border Strikers in an entertaining Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played before a near capacity crowd at Dulivhadzimu yesterday.
In essence, it was a game of two halves with the home team controlling first half in which they opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Tabwe Kalunga sent in a powerful shot that whistled past Highlanders goalminder Ariel Sibanda.
Sibanda had failed to clear a Clever Mutendebvure shot and Kalunga punished him for that.
Mutendebvure had earlier on had a "goal" disallowed in the third minute when referee Munyaradzi Majoni ruled his effort for off-side.
Highlanders were completely outclassed in the first half by the Beitbridge-based minnows although they tried to make some purposeful build-ups from the back.
Their strike-force had a hard time trying to penetrate Border Strikers defence which was well marshalled by Michael Variso.
But Bosso's Dutch coach Erol Akbay proved to be the better coach of the day when he introduced veteran striker Ralph Matema for Felix Chundungwe in the 67th minute and Matema did not waste time as he found the equaliser for his side through a powerful header off an Allen Gahadzikwa's cross from the left.
And from that moment, Bosso turned on the heat on the hosts, forcing them to concede over four corner kicks in a space of 10 minutes.
Matema's goal sent the Amahlolanyama fans, who equally matched their opponents, into a frenzy.
Border Strikers coach Never Malunga made a substitution blunder which killed the team's rhythm in the 75th minute when he introduced Borges Junidly and removed the impressive playmaker Munyaradzi Chirape.
His opposite number Akbay introduced another striker Douglas Sibanda for a visibly tired Tendai Ndlovu.
The introduction of Sibanda was the game changer as the Bulawayo giants started playing more attacking football and camped inside the Border Strikers half for 10 minutes in search of an winner.
And when the home side thought they had secured a point from an imminent draw, Highlanders struck again through Nhlanhla Ndlovu in the 90th minute to silence the home team.
Some Bosso fans destroyed the perimeter fence near the VIP section as they celebrated the second goal and the police were swift to arrest the near chaotic situation.
Source - chronicle
