Bosso, Harare City share spoils

By Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Bulawayo

Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0)1

Harare City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1

The second assistant referee Emmanuel Mugwagwa should have allowed a late Simon Munawa goal to stand instead of ruling it for an off-side, a top referee who attended the Highlanders and Harare City’s Castle Lager Premiership soccer clash at Barbourfields said yesterday.

“There was nowhere that player should have been off-side, the ball was an in-swinger from a free-kick and how do you then call for an off-side? Highlanders are justified to feel robbed,” said the referee who can not be named for professional reasons.

The denied goal would have seen Highlanders take a 2-1 lead, having equalised through Kasimero Chimbadzwa off a goalmouth melee.

Bosso, who had a poor first half but came from the breather a changed side, fell behind in the 20th minute through Martin Vengesayi who reacted swiftly to a through ball by Edwin Madhanaga who, however, must thank Felix Chindungwe who failed to cut the ball from the right for Vengesayi to beat a drawn out Ariel Sibanda.

At the time Bosso were down to 10 men following an injury to Tendai Ndlovu who clashed with teammate Eric Mudzingwa as they went for an aerial ball. Ndlovu was replaced by Adrian Silla as Bosso made some tactical changes to their formation, dropping Mudzingwa to the central defence to partner Chindungwe.

Highlanders could have drawn level in the 33rd minute but striker Knox Mutizwa failed to punish visitors’ goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube who had fumbled the ball allowing Mutizwa to disposes him but the 2015 Golden Boot winner made a mess of the ball and was guilty of being selfish.

Harare City were clearly the better side, especially in midfield where Munawa was totally out of the match and was not complementing the good work being done by the on-fire Rahman Kutsanzira and King Nadolo.

Highlanders coach Erol Akbay pulled out Ralph Matema who had picked up a knock on his troublesome knee and replaced him with Chimbadzwa in the 46th minute.

Bosso began to dictate the pace but were hugely let down by Munawa. Sensing danger Taurai Mangwiro, the Harare City coach, pulled out big Francesco Zekumbawire for William Manondo.

It was, however, Highlanders who found the target in the 71st minute when Chimbadzwa’s shot off a Benson Phiri cross sailed into an empty net after Dube failed to cut the Phiri cross.

“We should have killed the match as a contest had we utilised our chances, we allowed Highlanders to come back into the match,” said Mangwiro.

A disappointed Akbay blamed their poor first half performance as the reason for the draw.

“Our first half was very poor. The players were moving as if they were carrying a 50KG load but we came back a changed side for the second half,” said Akbay who said the absence of young Prince Dube and Bruce Kangwa was hugely felt.

Teams

Highlanders: A. Sibanda, B. Phiri, H. Moyo, T. Ndlovu (A. Silla 21st minute), F. Chindungwe, E. Mudzingwa, K. Nadolo, R. Kutsanzira, R. Matema (K. Chimbadzwa 46th minute), S. Munawa.

Harare City: T. Dube, J. Tigere, A. Chiveya, R. Uchena, N. Diro, T. Ndlovu, E. Madhanaga, M. Vengesai (C. Dickson 81st minute), R. Manuvire (G. Chimwemwe 88th minute), F. Zekumbawire (W. Manondo 71st minute), K. Kumwala. The Chronicle