Bossolona beat Caps Utd
From correspondent in BULAWAYO
Highlanders..................................................................…(0) 1
CAPS United….......................................................................0
VETERAN midfielder Johannes Ngodzo handed unbeaten CAPS United their first defeat of the season with a late strike in a rather lucklustre Battle of the Cities CBZ Premiership match at Barbourfields yesterday.
It was also Ngodzo’s first goal for Highlanders this season and it came in the 77th minute.
The goal left CAPS United coach Luke Masomere fuming at his ineffective strike force and midfield.
But the big battle was — a game of two halves — was watched by a paltry crowd of about 5 000 the lowest between the two teams probably since the formation of the Premiership in 1993.
It appeared many were not ready to part with $100 million, which was being charged for the cheapest ticket while others are still bitter at Bosso’s decision to play their Confederation Cup tie against Sudan’s El Merreikh in Harare.
The joke yesterday afternoon was that perhaps the Highlanders ir fans were not sure about the match venue!
However, Masomere conceded defeat and said his side had not played well, and this time did not take any issues with the match officiating.
"It was a good game. Like I said earlier, the match officials can improve the game or kill the game, but today they put up a good performance.
"We did not play well that is why we lost, the defence was fine, but the midfield and strike force did not attack.
"The reason for this was the number of changes that we made to the team due to injuries," Masomere said in his post-match interview.
Yestreday’s win must have come as a huge relief for under pressure Bosso coach Methembe Ndlovu.
Although he was happy with the result, Methembe referred all questions to the welfare manager Emmett Ndlovu.
"We played well despite the absence of some players due to injuries. We missed Douglas Zimbago, but all the guys that were given a chance to play did well.
"There was a better performance in the second half because at halftime, we told the boys to keep up the fighting spirit and take the game to them and the goal that had eluded us in the first half finally came," said Emmett Ndlovu.
The Highlanders welfare manager reserved comment on the referees, but one supporter did not take kindly to referee Thabani Mkantjo for failing to award his side a penalty in the 64th minute, but the same supporter forgot that the referee did also not award CAPS United what appeared to be a penalty in the 76th minute.
In the first half, both teams connived to short-change fans of their hard earned cash, playing some football characterised by long and stray passes, too many fouls and unimaginative play.
Six chances were created — three by either side.
Twelve minutes into the match, veteran midfielder Richard Choruma’s powerful header missed the target by inches from a Ngodzo corner
At the other end, Clarkson Dzimbiri had CAPS United fans up when his cheeky long drive nestled on the roof of the net with the fans, thinking Highlanders goalkeeper Washington Arubi had been beaten.
In the 23rrd minute, George Karimupfumbi tested Arubi with a shot on the near post from a freekick, but the Warriors goalkeeper smothered the effort.
At the other end, Irvine Tinarwo miscued a lay on from Cuthbert Malajila in the box before he was taken out on the half-hour for Wellington Sibanda.
Three minutes later, CAPS United captain David Kutyauripo pulled Malajila inside the box, the referee ignored and Ngodzo’s attempt at goal was blocked for a corner.
A minute into the first half of injury time, Oscar Machapa’s 30-metre drive was well taken by Arubi.
But the tempo of the match changed in the second half with CAPS United going on the offensive.
Malajila then headed wide a Zephaniah Ngodzo cross in the 49th minute.
The former Chapungu striker was presented with the best chance to open the scoring a minute later when Kutyauripo was dispossessed by Abraham Mbaiwa and the ball fell to the 2007 Golden Boot winner.
Advancing, CAPS United goalkeeper Tsungai Mudzamiri also came off his line, but Malajila saw his effort go agonisingly wide off the target.
Then Mbaiwa headed wide from a corner in the 54th minute after he had been left unmarked.
Malajila probed again on the hour, but he lost balance as he went for the kill before Highlanders claimed a handball in the box, but that was waved away by Mkantjo.
In the 66th minute, substitute Method Mwanjali fed fellow substitute Limited Chikafa on the right but the CAPS United striker blasted against the side netting on the run.
Ten minutes later, CAPS United claimed a penalty of their own when skipper Gilbert Banda handled in the box, but near side assistant referee Cosmas Nyoni indicated he had already signalled for an offside.
Then Ngodzo struck the Bosso blow a minute later.
Banda flighted a long clearance for a foul given on an offside and when Malajila and the visitors defence failed to hold the ball cleanly, Ngodzo collected the ball and blasted past a cluster of defenders into the far right corner of the net.
Bosso substitute Nqobile Mpala was given an opportunity to finish off the match five minutes from the end, but he was a shade too slow to make a connection.
As CAPS United desperately sought an equaliser, Tafadzwa Rusike and Raquib "Lulu’’ Milanzi tried to weave their way into the Highlanders box but found Banda, Zephaniah Ngodzo and Herbert Dick resolute while Stephen Alimenda made sure the supply line was cut off in midfield in the dying minutes.
As CAPS United bombarded the Highlanders area they some gaps in their reaguard and could have been further punished a minute before time but Malajila fluffed the opportunity as Bosso held on to win Part One of the Battle of the Cities.
Teams:
Highlanders: W Arubi, Z Ngodzo, G Lunga, H Dick, G Banda, S Alimenda, R Choruma, I Tinarwo (W Sibanda 30th min), J Ngodzo, A Mbaiwa (N Mpala 67th min), C Malajila
CAPS United: T Mudzamiri, B Benesi, T Chiradza (L Chikafa 52nd min), C Dzimbiri (T Rusike 46th min), G Karimupfumbi, D Kutyauripo, O Machapa, E Manuwere (M Mwanjali 63rd min), R Milanzi, N Mukumbi, N Mushekwi.
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