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Lloyd Mutasa

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
Dynamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2

BULAWAYO giants Highlanders chose Heroes Day matches to showcase the strides they have been making with their junior football when their development side known as Bosso 90 outshone Dynamos at Rufaro yesterday.

Bosso 90, as the team is known in the Southern Region Division One did not only overcome their fancied opponents but also displayed a good brand of football to prove that there is future for many players in that team.

The team under their coach Melusi Sibanda dismissed a Dynamos side which featured most of the fringe players, who are on their Premiership’s 30-member squad. The Glamour Boys also used the opportunity to give a run to their mid-season acquisitions such as senior players like as Masimba Mambare and Valentine Ndaba who have been getting less game time.

Although, Highlanders fielded four of their PSL players including Adrian Sila, Nkosana Ndlovu and Denzel Khumalo from their senior team, it was their Division One players who their mettle against the former champions.

Goals in either half from Highlanders Thabo Lunga (8th minute) and substitute Thembalethi Mtunzi (77th minute) carried the day for the Bulawayo giants. Highlanders head coach Erol Akbay and his assistant Amini-Soma Phiri and the rest of the regular players watched the match from the terraces ahead of their match today against a Defence Forces Select at the National Sports Stadium.

Melusi Sibanda was very excited that his players who were worried of being overawed by the occasion of playing Dynamos at Rufaro prevailed.

“The boys played well, they are youngsters and the future for Highlanders. “I am happy with the performance of the team considering that we came from Victoria Falls, where we had a match on Saturday and travelled to Harare and managed to win the game.

“It was first team Dynamos and my boys were scared because we were playing Dynamos but we won the game. These boys are still young and they are a good team for the future,” said Sibanda.

It was not all gloomy for Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa who said he used the game to make a further assessment of some of his charges who have been lacking game time. Going into this match, DeMbare had expressed their willingness to win the match and maintain their league form which has been impressive.

“Every game we play, we play to win but unfortunately Highlanders were too good for us.

“It was a good match for us going forward. It was an opportunity (to assess) some of the youngsters’ and they showed what they have and we would be looking forward to seeing them as we go forward.

“I think Tatenda Muringani was outstanding on our part, he played a full match today and we have never given him a chance. But today he played well better than some of the players who have been playing regularly,” Mutasa said.

Mutasa was however, not happy with some of his seniors who featured in that game.

“Masimba (Mambare) and Vale (Ndaba) we never saw much of them, they were not in it and need to pull up their socks going forward. “Quality (Kangadze) it was his first match from injury, still rusty and he has to play more games to be better,” he said.

Mutasa battling with injuries to key players — Marshal Machazane, Joel Christian Epoupa Ntouba and Cleopas Kapupurika insisted he has enough depth for their upcmong assignments.

Teams:

Dynamos: A. Reyners, G. Mukambi, R. Matova, J. Konono, G. Saunyama, K. Dhemere, V. Ndaba (V. Kadonzvo 46th minute), M. Mambare (Q. Kangadze 46th minute), T. Simango, T. Sadiki (M. Madhiri 63rd minute).

Highlanders: N. Madeya, N. Ndlovu, M. Ndlovu, V. Moyo, C. Gavaza, A. Silas, Y. Ebabali, B. Jaravaza, T. Lunga (T. Mtunzi 70th minute), D. Khumalo (O. Gombani 87th minute), T. Kalunga