HIGHLANDERS . . . . . . (1)2
DYNAMOS . . . . . . . . . . . (0)1
HIGHLANDERS began their 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign with victory over perennial nemesis Dynamos in a drab match at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
Hordes of fans thronged BF to witness the match and might have left disappointed by the lacklustre outing, but were excited with three points at the expense of Bosso’s biggest rivals in the league.
An impressive Melikhaya Ncube opened the account for Highlanders in the 20th minute with a beautiful curler outside the penalty box after twisting and turning the Dynamos defenders as Bosso pressurised the visitors from the left wing.
Archford Faira got the second goal for Highlanders in the 48th minute, rolling the ball past goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa after capitalising from a clumsy clearance by Dynamos off a cross from the right.
Alexander Mandinyenya reduced the arrears for The Glamour Boys on the hour mark. He received a long pass, account for suspect Highlanders right-back Marvelous Chigumira and made light work of goalkeeper Sibanda who had come off his line.
Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu was happy with the win.
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“It was not an easy game, but the positive is that we managed to start with a victory; a slight improvement in us scoring. We managed to score two goals today. It is just unfortunate that in the first half we played too much in our own half but the good thing is that the tactical disciple, the shape and the organisation was good,” Kaindu said.
Issa Sadiki came in with a free-kick in the 31st minute which was safely collected by Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, who was virtually on holiday for the first half as Dynamos were found wanting on the offensive
However, the dying moments of the first half and going into the second belonged to Dynamos but they were thwarted by the veteran Sibanda.
Three minutes before the break, Reason Sibanda deftly turned in the penalty area and fired a shot, but his effort found an alert Tafiremutsa.
In the 57th minute, Faira came short of getting a brace as his speculative effort eluded Tafiremutsa, but hit the cross bar before the ball was cleared to safety.
After their goal, Dynamos continued their attack on the left wing where Chigumira was jittery and made schoolboy blunders on several occasions.
The second half belonged to DeMbare, but the much-desired goals would not come.
Dynamos coach Genesis Mangombe conceded defeat but said his team had conceded silly goals.
“We failed to maintain our lines and conceded such silly goals. We still have a problem when we can’t defend those goals because we are giving away [points]. But it’s a game of football, you make mistakes that you have to correct and move forward. We are now looking at the next assignment. This one is water under the bridge and it’s a learning curve. We tried to introduce new players. The good thing is that we are not playing badly. We are playing well, save for those silly goals [we conceded],” Mangombe said.
Teams
Highlanders: Sibanda, M Chigumira, A Faira, A Mbeba, P Muduhwa, M Ncube, B Ncube, R Sibanda, L Chikuwa (C Chigonero 66'), Mason Mushore (M Sibanda 85'), Mckinnon Mushore (G Nyathi 66')
Dynamos: P Tafiremutsa, T Chiwunga, D Dzvinyai, D Mudadi (S Nyahwa 61') K Moyo, N Chinyerere, E Jalai, V Kadonzvo (K Madera 33') F Botchway (E Paga 61'), Issa Sadiki (E Chikona 61'), A Mandinyenya (S Iri-Khob 80')
