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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
Highlanders 4-2 Bantu Rovers
CHARLES Sibanda scored his first hat-trick for Highlanders against Bantu Rovers FC yesterday, helping the Bulawayo giants finish the first half of the season with a three-point lead.The six-goal thriller at Barbourfields Stadium did not live up to the derby billing with Bantu Rovers dominating play but like true giants, Highlanders were able to grind a result.

Yesterday’s performance must have left Highlanders coach, Kelvin Kaindu worried about his defence, anchorman and strikeforce.

Sibanda, the 2010 Soccer Star of the Year, arguably the best player of the first half of the season is the leading Premiership top goalscorer with 10, two ahead of How Mine’s Kuda Musharu who has been at the top of the goals’ chart since the beginning of the season.

Bosso shot ahead in the 12th minute with Sibanda converting from the penalty spot after veteran Hebert Dick who was lucky to finish the match, had hacked down Highlanders’ striker Gabriel Nyoni in the box as he was going for the kill.

Referee Rugare Kusosa duly awarded Highlanders a penalty.

Bantu Rovers’ Bukhosi Sibanda, Nqobizitha Masuku, Raphael Kutinyu, Obidiah Tarumbwa and Moses Majika dominated in midfield, creating anxious moments for their opponents, especially the wing backs for Highlanders Bruce Kangwa and Simon Munawa.

It was not a surprise for Bantu Rovers to get an equaliser just before the half hour mark when a move that appeared to be from their training ground involving about five players saw Masuku spotting Majika on the left who then sent in a cross that Kutinyu headed from the blindside with Kangwa nowhere in action for Highlanders just like Munawa had been on the right where the ball had been threaded from the centre where Dumisani Ndlovu and Innocent Mapuranga had been found wanting.

Dick made a second blunder of the day in the 31st minute as he flicked the ball to Charles with the Highlanders striker keeping his cool to slot the ball past an advancing Takudzwa Mutanga.

Charles completed his hat-trick on the halftime mark, getting between two Bantu Rovers central defenders to head home a fine delivery from Valentine Ndaba.

Just after conceding the third goal, Bantu Rovers launched a raid and as a result of a jittery Highlanders’ backline, Erick Mudzingwa brought down Tarumbwa on the edge of the box and Tshintsha Guluva’s skipper Nqobizitha Masuku scored a beauty from the resultant foul, tucking the ball to the top corner leaving the Bosso goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda clutching thin air.

When they returned from the breather, Bantu Rovers continued from where they had left. With a bit of luck and precision they would have punished their opponents.

Mapuranga lost the ball to Tafadzwa Ngwena but the Bantu Rovers midfielder was selfish going for glory instead of passing the ball to a better positioned Tarumbwa and Kutinyu in the box.

Kangwa gifted Ngwena another opportunity in the 52nd minute and this time the Bantu Rovers player quickly released the ball to Kutinyu who then laid a perfect pass to Tarumbwa whose chip went over the bar. From then onwards, Highlanders treaded dangerously and despite collecting maximum points, Bantu Rovers were by far the better team of the day.

Highlanders had two chances to put the game to bed with Mudzingwa’s long-range shot crashing on the bar. Ozias Zibande failed to connect the rebound.

Bosso killed off the contest on the stroke of fulltime through Zibande whose header off a Mutizwa cross from the right went into the top corner. It was a lovely goal by the wasteful Bosso forward who had earlier on missed a sitter as his effort was cleared from the goalline by Zephaniah Ngodzo.

“It is good that we won this game but I am worried at the rate at which we are conceding,” said Kaindu.

Bantu Rovers’ coach Methembe Ndlovu said time was running out for his team as they fight for survival but heaped praises on his charges.

“We have been playing well but I think we have to grow as a team. Time is running out and we have to start winning games. There is hope but as a coach I take ultimate responsibility of the results with the players carrying out the game plan that I present,” Ndlovu said.

Meanwhile, Kusosa made a number of questionable decisions and there was an outcry from the Highlanders bench. He appeared to have booked Dick twice but the player stayed on the field for the entire game.

Dick got his first caution for remonstrating in the 68th minute and received his second yellow in the 85th minute for a foul on Charles but the defender stayed on. After the game, Kangwa had to be put on oxygen after falling down having problems.

Teams

Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, Simon Munawa (Felix Chindungwe, 73rd minute), Bruce Kangwa, Innocent Mapuranga, Dumisani Ndlovu, Erick Mudzingwa, Valentine Ndaba (Mthulisi Maphosa, 73rd minute), Joel Ngodzo, Gabriel Nyoni (Ozias Zibande, 41st minute), Knox Mutizwa, Charles Sibanda

Bantu Rovers: Takunda Mutanga, Bongani Sikwila, Zephaniah Ngodzo, Teenage Hadebe, Hebert Dick, Proud Zireni (Tafadzwa Ngwena, 35th minute), Nqobizitha Masuku, Raphael Kutinyu (Master Mlangeni, 87th minute), Obadiah Tarumbwa (Lucky Ndlela, 69th minute), Moses Majika, Bukhosi Sibanda

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Results

Friday: ZPC Kariba 1-0 Chicken Inn

Saturday: FC Platinum 2-1 Shabanie Mine, Harare City 1-1 Hwange

Yesterday: Highlanders 4-2 Bantu Rovers, Caps United 1-1 Dynamos, Black Rhinos 1-0 How Mine, Buffaloes 1-0 Chiredzi, Triangle United 1-0 Chapungu