The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Harare City . . . . . . . (1) 1
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . 0
HIGHLANDERS’ premiership title charge suffered a blow when the Kelvin Kaindu coached side fell to Harare City in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Rufaro yesterday.
Gangly former Hwange and Dynamos striker Francesco Zekumbawire scored the goal that separated the two sides and moved the hosts into the top half of the standings with 31 points.
Bosso, who seem to have perfected the art of failing to make the best of the larger share of possession they usually enjoy, rarely threatened Maxwell Nyamupanedengu’s goal.
Three points could have moved them to just a point off log leading Dynamos who drew away to FC Platinum.
Early exchanges saw the visitors justifying the 11 points gap that separated them from City going into the match with Felix Chindungwe, Joel Ngodzo and Charles Sibanda monopolising the ball.
But their monopoly was restricted into the midfield as they struggled to weave their magic in the final attacking third.
Despite them not seeing much of the possession, City were the most purposeful and had the first realistic chance to open the scores when Vengesai – playing in an uncustomary midfield role – outpaced Chindungwe before sending in a cross which was fluffed by Osborn Mukuradare in the 23rd minute.
Speed on the counter was always going to be City’s biggest weapon and it rightly paid off in the 28th minute when Mukuradare set up Zekumbawire who outpaced Innocent Mapuranga and Eric Mudzingwa before firing home with a rising shot that gave a badly exposed Ariel Sibanda no chance.
Bosso could have leveled the scores two minutes from the breather but Sibanda somehow took long to pull the trigger on a loose ball that fell for him after a defensive mix up between Arnold Chaka and Nyamupanedengu.
Two minutes after the breather Kaindu pulled out defensive midfielder Hillary Madzivanyika for Simba Sithole in a move aimed at adding fire power upfront but instead, the move eroded their edge in the middle of the park.
Harare City began to find pockets of space through the middle.
Speedy Vengesai had a chance to double the lead in the 50th minute charging through the center before unleashing a pile drive which however went over Sibanda’s goal.
It was just not Bosso’s day as even the introduction of Valentine Ndaba and veteran Mthulisi Maphosa failed to unlock Harare City’s defensive shield.
Kaindu however, remained confident that his charges are still in the title race and could upstage the pace setters with seven rounds of fixtures still to play.
“No team has been confirmed champions as yet so we are still in the race just like the rest of the teams.
“I think we should have won this match to continue pushing hard for the league (crown), but we gave away an easy goal and I felt we also paid dearly for the guys who were missing through suspensions,” said Kaindu who has registered his fourth defeat of the season.
For Dinyero it is the commitment by his players and the ability to continue fighting even with their back pressed against the wall that gave them their ninth victory of the season.
“The fighting spirit was our biggest asset. There were times when we struggled with the rhythm of the game but everybody gave it 110 percent,” said Dinyero who was presented with the August Coach of the Month award at half time.
Highlanders’ Charles Sibanda was also presented with the Player of the Month awards for June, July and August.
Teams
Harare City: M Nyamupanedengu, T Mamvura, M Nyenye, D Kutyauripo, A Chaka, R Uchena, J Jam, W Manondo (T Kadewere 68t ), O Mukuradare, M Vengesai, F Zekumbawire
Highlanders: A Sibanda, W Ndiweni, E Mudzingwa, I Mapuranga, B Kangwa, H Madzivanyika (S Sithole 47th), F Chindungwe, R Kutsanzira (V Ndaba 63rd), G Nyoni (M Maphosa 73rd), C Sibanda, J Ngodzo
