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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter—
HIGHLANDERS captain Felix Chindungwe yesterday praised his teammates for their dominant performance that ended a decade-long winless run against chief rivals Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium in Harare on Saturday. The Bulawayo giants plunged the dagger into Dynamos with a 2-0 win that further tormented the home fans, who started trickling out of the stadium in disgust soon after the second goal in the 76th minute. Only jubilant Bosso fans and some die-hard DeMbare fans hoping for an improbable comeback remained until the final whistle.

After 10 long years punctuated by heartache, Bosso and their supporters finally tasted the sweetness of beating their perennial rivals. And during this dreary period, the best Highlanders could hope for against DeMbare in league matches was a draw, at home or away. However, goals by 19-year-old striker Prince Dube and utility player Bruce Kangwa changed all that to begin a new chapter in the two giants’ rivalry.

Youngster Dube was only playing his seventh Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the weekend and Chindungwe believes they now needed consistency to launch a solid challenge for the title.

“Our supporters had endured 10 long years for us to beat Dynamos and I’m happy and honoured to have led such a great team in breaking the jinx,” said Chindungwe. “That was an emotional victory for us and I must commend the guys for sticking to the coach’s game plan and putting extra effort that ensured we got the three points.”

He believes Saturday’s victory had injected some amount of self belief that they could now target the league title. “Hopefully our fans will keep on rallying behind us even when we’re not at our best so that we can achieve great things for the club,” Chindungwe said.

Highlanders are joint second on the league table with Caps United on 17 points, three adrift of leaders FC Platinum.

Bosso have scored the most goals in the league with 15. Dube and the league’s 2015 top marksman Knox Mutizwa have each scored four goals, which is one more than the three goals Dynamos have managed in eight games.

Dube can surpass his 12-goal target for this season if he maintains his form and does not get carried away. Chindungwe spoke highly of Dube and other juniors that have been blooded into the senior team.

“The youngsters have added value and their competitive approach has pushed senior players to work harder. The juniors should be around for three or more seasons if they don’t move and since they’ve tasted the great feeling of beating Dynamos, I believe their confidence will now grow and instil the fear factor in our opponents. However, they mustn’t think they’ve now made it simply because they’re in the team and everyone’s showering them with praises, but they must work harder to become even better,” said Chindungwe.

Week Eight Results
Bulawayo City 1-0 Ngezi Platinum Stars, ZPC Kariba 1-0 Hwange, Border Strikers 1-0 Tsholotsho FC, Chicken Inn 1-2 Caps United, Triangle United 3-1 Mutare City Rovers, How Mine 0-0 FC Platinum, Harare City 0-0 Chapungu, Dynamos 0-2 Highlanders