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Elroy Akbay

Ricky Zililo in Bulawayo
Highlanders ………………….0
Triangle United ……………..0
HIGHLANDERS coach Erol Akbay coach heaved a huge sigh of relief after seeing his team getting a point following a lacklustre performance against Triangle United at Barbourfields yesterday. The Bulawayo giants blew an opportunity to topple FC Platinum at the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League log standings, remaining glued on second place with 31 points, two behind the platinum miners.

Yesterday’s result was not the best that Highlanders wanted going into Sunday’s “Battle of the Cities II” against CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium and they have to dig deep into their bag of tricks, if they have any hopes of coming up with a positive result from Harare. Akbay conceded that they were lucky not to succumb to their third defeat of the season to Triangle as his side hardly gave the visitors any anxious moments.

“We had a bad game, because we only played good football in the opening 15 minutes and after that we went to sleep. We gave them too much space and our midfield was loose such that we let them play football. We were lucky that they didn’t score,” said Akbay.

Highlanders started the game on a high tempo, forcing Triangle to sit back, but failed to make use of their dominance which lasted less than 20 minutes. Bosso striker Prince Dube (19) fluffed a brilliant chance in the third minute when his weak shot was easily saved by Triangle goalkeeper Ronald Mudimu. Dube had made a timely run to beat the offside trap after being sent through by Gabriel Nyoni.

After that, Triangle rarely gave Highlanders any breathing space, leaving the home team to resort to long range efforts which did not trouble the visitors. Highlanders midfielder Brian Banda who had a good game playing behind the strikers had a goal bound shot from the edge of the box blocked for a corner.

Triangle had a single effort at Highlanders’ goal coming on the 20th minute when Nelson Meson sent in a cross from the right that Bosso defenders failed to deal with and a weak shot by Malvern Gaki was cleared at the goal line by the home team’s captain Felix Chindungwe. The visitors should have punished Highlanders in the second half, but their forwards let them down as they either held onto the ball for long inside the penalty boss or just shot off target.

Gaki and seasoned former Shabanie Mine and FC Platinum striker Nelson Maziwisa were guilty of holding to the ball for long faced with Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, giving Bosso defenders time to recover.

The best chance of the day for Triangle fell to Marvellous Mukumba in the 75th minute when Sibanda punched the ball to his path and instead of tapping into an empty net, the former somehow shot over.

Five minutes before full-time Highlanders’ anchorman Erick Mudzingwa failed to finish off a move which he started from the centre, involving Nyoni, Ralph Matema and Banda, as he sent his grounder off target with Mudimu badly exposed. Triangle coach David Mandigora was happy with the result.

“Getting a point away from home against a Highlanders side which is among title favourites is a good result for us even though we wanted a win. We had two clear chances in the second half, but held on to the ball too much,” said Mandigora.

Teams
Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, Tendai Ngulube, Julius Daudi, Peter Muduhwa, Felix Chindungwe, Erick Mudzingwa, Godfrey Makaruse (Simon Munawa, 57th minute), Gabriel Nyoni, Brian Banda, Nhlanhla Ndlovu (Ralph Matema, 73rd minute), Prince Dube

Triangle United: Ronald Mudimu, Derwin Phiri, Rodwell Mhlanga, Donald Dzvinyai, Kudzai Chigwida, Ralph Kawondera, Guthrie Zhokinyi, Mervellous Mukumba, Nelson Meson (Tichaona Mapungwana, 36th minute; Pride Mhlanga, 90th minute), Malvern Gaki (Brian Juwayeyi, 89th minute), Nelson Maziwisa.