Bosso blow chance to go top at halfway Highlanders striker Prince Dube (left) tries to beat Triangle United defender Kudzai Chigwida during yesterday’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium
Highlanders striker Prince Dube (left) tries to beat Triangle United defender Kudzai Chigwida during yesterday’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium

Highlanders striker Prince Dube (left) tries to beat Triangle United defender Kudzai Chigwida during yesterday’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
Highlanders 0-0 Triangle United

HIGHLANDERS coach Erol Akbay heaved a huge sigh of relief after his team got a point following a lacklustre performance against visiting Triangle United at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.

The Bulawayo giants blew an opportunity to topple FC Platinum at the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table and remain second, two behind the platinum miners.

Yesterday’s result was not what Highlanders wanted going into Sunday’s “Battle of the cities” against Caps United at the National Sports Stadium, and they have to dig deep to leave Harare with anything.

Akbay conceded that they were lucky not to succumb to their third defeat of the season, 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. 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 high tempo, forcing Triangle to sit back, but failed to make use of their dominance, which lasted less than 20 minutes.

Nineteen-year-old Bosso striker Prince Dube fluffed a brilliant chance to thrust his side into the lead in the third minute when his weak shot was easily saved by triangle goalkeeper Ronald Mudimu.

Dube had made a timely run to beat a poor offside trap after being set up by Gabriel Nyoni.

After that, Triangle rarely gave Highlanders any breathing space, leaving the home team to resort to long range efforts that did not trouble Mudimu.

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.

In the 20th minute, Nelson Meson sent in a cross from the right that Bosso defenders failed to deal with, but a weak shot by Malvern Gaki was cleared off the line by captain Felix Chindungwe.

Triangle 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 box or just shot off target.

Gaki and seasoned former Shabanie Mine and FC Platinum striker Nelson Maziwisa were guilty of holding onto the ball for long, giving Bosso defenders time to recover and dispossess them.

The best chance of the day for Triangle fell to Marvellous Mukumba in the 75th minute when keeper Ariel Sibanda punched the ball onto his path, but he shot over the bar when it looked easier to tap the ball into an empty net.

Five minutes before fulltime, Highlanders’ anchorman Erick Mudzingwa failed to finish off a move that he had started from the centre, involving Nyoni, Ralph Matema and Banda, as he sent his grounder off target with Mudimu exposed.

Triangle coach David Mandigora was happy with the result.

“Getting a point away from home against a Highlanders side, which is among the 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 onto the ball for too long,” 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
Unused substitutes: Prosper Matutu, Bukhosi Ncube, Adrian Silla, King Nadolo, Tendai Ndlovu

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
Unused substitutes: Njuchi Siyamanda, Tatenda Juwayeyi, Tapiwa Dephistard, Francis Nicho

Results

Yesterday: Highlanders 0-0 Triangle United, Tsholotsho FC 1-1 Mutare City Rovers

2016 Half season table
P    W    D    L    F    A    GD    Pts
FC Platinum          15    10    3    2    18    7    11    33
Highlanders          15    9    4    2    21    8    13    31
Caps United          15    8    5    2    20    10    10    29
Dynamos               15    7    4    4    12    9    3    25
ZPC Kariba            15    6    5    4    14    11    3    23
Triangle United    15    6    5    4    13    13    0    23
Ngezi Platinum     15    6    3    6    16    16    0    21
Harare City            15    5    5    5    16    12    4    20
Bulawayo City       15    5    5    5    12    13    -1    20
Chicken Inn           15    5    4    6    14    11    3    19
How Mine              15    4    7    4    14    13    1    19
Chapungu              15    4    6    5    14    15    -1    18
Hwange                  15    5    3    7    10    17    -7    18
Tsholotsho FC       15    3    3    9    10    16    -6    12
Mutare City            15    3    2    10    9    25    -16    11
Border Strikers      15    2    0    13    3    20    -17     6

You Might Also Like

Comments