Bosso in humiliating defeat Erol Akbay
Erol Akbay

Erol Akbay

Ricky Zililo in BULAWAYO
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Tsholotsho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1

HIGHLANDERS fans turned against coach Erol Akbay, demanding he steps down after Bosso suffered the humiliation of becoming the first team to fall at the hands of Tsholotsho this season in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League at Barbourfields yesterday.

With Tsholotsho leading 1-0 through a Lucky Vundla strike on the stroke of half-time, Bosso fans at the Soweto end burst into song, denouncing Akbay and calling for his head.

The songs said it was clear that Akbay has failed and is way off the target of winning the title. “Mkabayi (Akbay) batshele ukuthi wena usuhamba, kuBosso kuyala (Akbay tell your bosses you’re leaving because you’ve failed at Bosso),” the fans sang.

Akbay made a shock announcement at a Press conference a fortnight ago that he would not be renewing his contract with Highlanders when it expires at the end of the season.

That announcement made fans question Akbay’s commitment and calls have been growing louder for him to leave with each bad result since that pronouncement.

Highlanders have lost two games and drawn once since Akbay’s announcement. Bosso first drew 0-0 at home against Harare City, in a game they should have lost and lost 0-2 away to ZPC Kariba in the league, before being trounced 3-0 by a Zimbabwe Defence Forces Select on Defence Forces Day on Tuesday last week.

In the build-up to the Tsholotsho goal, Vundla dispossessed the lacklustre Simon Munawa of the ball on the left, quickly released it to Lucky Nyathi and ran into the box to fire the return pass past Highlanders’ goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda.

Tsholotsho deserved the win as they outplayed Highlanders, with midfielders Tatenda Tavengwa, Edward Halungu, Vundla and Nyathi stamping their authority, while Bosso players chased shadows all afternoon.

The victory lifted Tsholotsho from the bottom of the table into 17th place, tied on 12 points with anchors Bantu Rovers. “I think this victory has always been coming. If you look at our last three or four games, we’ve been unlucky because we have been playing well,’’ said Tsholotsho coach Darlington Dodo.

“We took the ball away from them in the first 20 minutes and partially managed to silence their fans, who clearly had no confidence rallying behind their team because of their recent performances.

“They tried to play long balls through the centre and we were ready for that. I’m happy for the boys and now we just have to build up from here.’’ Akbay was astonishingly happy with his team’s performance.

“I’m happy with the good football we played today, but sad that we didn’t get the result. We lacked the final pass. “I think sometimes it’s important to play a bad game before a big match like Ngezi Platinum Stars on Saturday.

“Hopefully we will recover and get it right,” said Akbay. Bosso had their fair share of chances, with Ralph Matema shying away from responsibility in the 36th minute, when he chose to flick the ball instead of shooting at goal after being set up by Gofrey Makaruse.

Matema twice failed to keep his headers on target in the second half after getting to the end of Makaruse’s pin-point crosses.

Teams

Highlanders: A. Sibanda, E. Mudzingwa, H. Moyo (R. Lunga, 90th min), B. Phiri, P. Muduhwa, T. Ngulube, G. Makaruse, S. Munawa, R. Matema (N. Ndlovu, 84th min), R. Kutsanzira, K. Nadolo (A. Gahadzikwa 76th min)

Tsholotsho FC: C. Mariyon, X. Ndlovu, M. Phiri, T. Nyabinde, A. Chaka, T. Tavengwa, M. Mushonga (N. Gama, 86th min), E. Halungu (54th min), L. Vundla (S. Mhlanga, 69th min), L. Nyathi, N. Mpala.

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