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Peter Moyo

From Sikhumbuzo Moyo  in BULAWAYO
Highlanders . . . . . . . . .(1) 2
Harare CITy . . . . . . . . . . . 1HIGHLANDERS stand-in coach Mark Mathe made a winning start to his return when he fielded a star-studded side which edged Harare City in a Bob 90 Super Cup semi-final soccer tie at Barbourfields yesterday.

The home team, who will now meet traditional arch-rivals Dynamos in the final, got their goals through Peter Moyo in the 45th minute and Milton Ncube in the 73th minute. Misheck Mburayi scored for the visitors in the 40th minute.

Mathe, who rejoined Highlanders in the off-season after six months out at Saints, threw in eight natural midfielders that included four left-footed players.

His plan almost crumbled like a deck of cards with Harare City grabbing a shock lead five minutes from the breather through former Highlanders and Triangle United striker Mburayi.

“It was a strategic decision to put in more midfielders. I wanted us to get hold of ball possession from the beginning of the game but I think in the first half the plan did not work as we had wanted,” said the gangly Mathe after the match.

Bosso had Ncube as the lone striker against a four-man defence led by skipper David Kutyauripo and it was always difficult for him to penetrate.

In the 23rd minute, Chan poster boy Kudakwashe Mahachi brought in an in-swinger that was met by Ncube with a header that went wide.
The move was initiated by another Bosso new boy Charles Sibanda who, however, had a below average performance by his standards.

As Highlanders kept on attacking there were bound to be susceptible to counter-attacks from Harare City who were always looking dangerous whenever going forward and five minutes from the breather, Barbourfields was stunned into silence.

An error by Innocent Mapuranga after a poor pass by Moyo saw an alert Mburayi slotting the ball over an advancing Munyaradzi Diya, in goal for Highlanders.

Like a determined lot, Bosso never dropped their bundle but instead kept on pouring forward as they sought to go to the breather level with the team that clobbered them 4-0 in a league match last year. Just before the half-time whistle, referee Philani Ncube awarded Bosso a free-kick on the left after Mahachi was hacked down as he charged forward.

And up stepped Bruce Kangwa who flighted the ball to the far right and as Harare City defenders stood akimbo, probably thinking the ball was going out, Mthulisi Maphosa had other ideas, heading the ball back into the thick of things for a well-positioned Moyo to rifle the ball home and send thousands of Bosso fans into ecstasy.

The second half saw the ginger haired Mahachi dispossessing Munyaradzi Nyenye inside the box but his short was weak as it gave Nomore Johns no problems. In an effort to grab the all-important winner, Harare City coach Bigboy Mawiwi made a treble substitution, taking out William Kanondo, Takudzwa Chimwemwe and Kutyauripo for Crybet Muvuti, Talent Chawaphuwa and  James Jamu respectively.

There were, however, a few goalmouth incidents but action came to life when Mathe brought in speed merchant Gabriel Nyoni for dreadlocked Charles Sibanda. Bosso should be applauded for their well-calculated moves and in the 73rd minute a second goal that proved to be the winner came.

Second-half substitute Valentine Ndaba shrugged off some tame challenge and spotted an on-rushing Ncube whose first time shot from outside the box beat a diving Johns.

“It was a good game, Highlanders are a complete side but I think we also played well,” said Mawiwi.

Teams

Highlanders: M Diya, E Mudzingwa, B Kangwa, I Mapuranga, D Ndlovu, S Munawa, P Moyo, M Maphosa (W Ndiweni 74th minute), M Ncube (M Dube 81st minute), C Sibanda (V Ndaba 57th minute), K Mahachi

Harare City: N Johns, M Nyenye, T Chiworeso, A Chivheya, D Kutyauripo (J Jamu 54th minute), D Crispen, T Chimwemwe (T Chawaphuma 54th minute), W Kanondo (C Muvuti 54th minute), M Vengesayi, M Mburayi, N Ziwini