Bulawayo giants Highlanders finally broke a long running jinx when they beat bitter rivals Dynamos for the first time in 10 years in the Premier Soccer League.
Goals from former Highlanders academy player Prince Dube (59′) and left back Bruce Kangwa (75′) were enough to deliver a 2-0 win and the three points.
If ever there was a more opportune time for Highlanders to take advantage it was today. Dynamos are beset by problems both on the pitch and in the boardroom.
Bosso capitalised and won the game 2-0 at Rufaro Stadium to finally give their fans something to celebrate after 10 years of league misery.
Although Bosso have beaten DeMbare in some cup games, they have not beaten the Harare giants in a league game since 2006. Dembare have now picked up only eight points from eight games and lie 12th on the log standings.
The win for Highlanders saw them return to second position on the table, two points behind leaders FC Platinum.
It was 19-year-old Young Warriors striker Prince Dube and Bruce Kangwa who scored for Bosso, the team’s 14th and 15th goals of the season, as they subdued a sinking giant that has only found the back of the net just three times in eight matches.
Coach Lloyd Mutasa’s decision to deploy two defensive linkmen, veteran Stephen Alimenda and Dominic Mukandi, meant DeMbare were on the back foot for large spells of the match against a mobile Bosso engine room that had the industrious Simon Munawa, Rahman Kutsanzira, King Nadolo and Kangwa.
DeMbare might claim luck was not on their side as thrice they were denied by the frame of the goal but if they are to be honest with themselves, they lost to a more organised team which made their intentions known from the first whistle.
With two defeats and a single win in three matches, interim coach Lloyd Mutasa’s prospects of landing the job on a long-term contract now look bleak but DeMbare’s problems are surely pointing towards the players who offered very little in attack yesterday.
Mutasa denied that the Glamour Boys are on a decline and said their only problem was failure to convert chances that come their way.
“We have played less than 10 games and maybe you can talk of a decline as we progress,” Mutasa said after the match. “I wouldn’t want to believe that there is much difference between the playing personnel we have and what other teams have but I think it’s just a matter of getting goals and making things happen,” he said.
With Highlanders expatriate coach Erol Akbay telling the media that an early goal will go a long way in calming nerves, the visitors were off the blocks as early as the first whistle and within the first five minutes they agonisingly watched as Dube, Knox Mutizwa and Kangwa were denied by Tatenda Mukuruva.
At the other end, DeMbare’s forwards — Farai Mupasiri and Richard Kawondera were lifeless and barely threatened Ariel Sibanda’s goal despite numerous raids into the Highlanders box by Ocean Mushure, Obey Mwerahari and Godknows Murwira.
Bosso’s persistent knocks on Mukuruva’s goal finally yielded results three minutes before the hour mark when Mutizwa set up Dube after a fine counter attack and the latter responded with a rising shot that beat lights off the Dynamos goalie sending the Bosso fans into delirium.
DeMbare rallied back in search of an equaliser and also introduced veteran Evans Gwekwerere for Mukandi but the former DeMbare hero is still lacking match fitness and failed to breach Bosso’s heart of defence which was well marshaled by Eric Mudzingwa and skipper Felix Chindungwe.
With memories of last season’s late Quadr Amini winner still fresh in Bosso minds, an insurance goal remained high on the visitors’ minds and it duly arrived in the 76th minute.
Dube this time turned provider as he sent in a delightful cross that was nodded home by Kangwa to secure a victory that means more than three points for Bosso and will certainly see them fancy their chances of landing the league title which they last won in 2006.
For Akbay however, it was just another three points. “For most people it is 10 years when we last won but for me it was just one of the games like many other normal games,” said Akbay. Nehanda Radio/Sunday News
