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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
How Mine 0 – 0 Highlanders

HOW Mine were unlucky to leave Barbourfields Stadium without maximum points, as they dominated Highlanders in yesterday’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match.

The gold miners had superior ball possession, which they, however, failed to turn into goals.

So dominant were the gold miners that they had eight corner kicks compared to Bosso’s two, which came in the last 15 minutes of the game.

How Mine stuck to their game plan of denying their opponents the ball and whenever they lost possession, they were quick to press Highlanders, forcing them to pump long balls.

Kelvin Kaindu, the How Mine coach, bemoaned his team’s lack of potency in front of goal and felt that they lost two valuable points.

“We’ve dropped two valuable points considering that we had the lion’s share of the game. Our opponents only played the last 10 minutes of the game or so. I think with the performance we put, we deserved better. We stuck to our game plan, which was to deny them possession and controlled the game. All the same, a point is better than nothing,” said Kaindu.

The miners played Toto Banda upfront supported by Kuda Musharu and Timothy January, who were coming in the midfield.

Musharu and January formed a midfield quintet that also had anchorman Makundika Sakala, Peter Rio Moyo and Pasca Manhanga.

They were ably supported by overlapping left-back Milton Ncube and occasionally Frank Makarati, as they shut out the Bosso midfielders and even caused some anxious moments for their more illustrious opponents.

Highlanders clearly missed the services of playmaker Rahman Kutsanzira, who picked an injury in the build-up to the encounter, as well as young striker Prince Dube, who is with the Warriors’ squad at the Cosafa Cup in South Africa.

Bosso were virtually lifeless, with no creativity, as they spent the better part of the match on the back foot.

They managed to defend well and restrict How Mine to long-range attempts that rarely bothered goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda.

How Mine right-back Tsepo Ranthokoane brought the best out of Sibanda from a free-kick that took an awkward bounce, but the alert goalie somehow pushed the ball out for corner in the 52nd minute.

Minutes later January’s weak shot inside the penalty box went straight into Sibanda’s hands.

Just before the hour mark, Banda had a perfect opportunity to score for the miners after losing the defenders to meet a perfect January cross from the right, only to head wide with Sibanda at his mercy.

Highlanders only came out of their shell in the 78th minute when Simon Munawa sent in a cross that Ralph Matema met on the blind side only to be denied by the upright.

A minute later, the upright again came to How Mine’s rescue when centre-back Tendai Ndlovu’s cracker cannoned off into the woodwork.

The gold miners’ keeper Munyaradzi Diya produced the best save of the day when he denied Munawa from close range after being set through by Matema.

Bosso coach Erol Akbay conceded that How Mine were the better side and felt that lack of movement by his strikers and lack of creativity from the midfield cost them maximum points.

“How Mine made it difficult for us to play football as they were really pressing well. We only started to create Chances after 75 minutes. Too bad our strikers were not sharp enough; we were keeping the ball too long in the midfield and our strikers were also not making runs,” said Akbay.

Teams

How Mine: Munyaradzi Diya, Tsepo Ranthokoane, Milton Ncube, Kudzai Chideu, Frank Makarati, Makundika Sakala, Toto Banda, Pasca Manhanga (Tinashe Makanda, 89th minute), Peter Moyo (Brooklyn Banda, 83rd minute), Kuda Musharu, Timothy January

Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, Bukhosi Ncube, Benson Phiri, Tendai Ndlovu, Peter Muduhwa, Erick Mudzingwa, Simon Munawa, Allen Gahadzikwa (King Nadolo, 63rd minute), Brian Banda (Gabriel Nyoni, 75th minute), Rodreck Mutuma (Godfrey Makaruse, 46th minute), Ralph Matema

Results

Saturday: Chicken Inn 0-0 Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum 1-0 Tsholotsho FC
Yesterday: How Mine 0-0 Highlanders, Bantu Rovers 0-1 Chapungu, Triangle United 1-0 ZPC Kariba, Hwange 2-0 Shabanie Mine, Black Rhinos 1-2 Harare City, Dynamos 4-3 Bulawayo City

Fixture
Tomorrow: Yadah FC v Caps United (Morris Depot)

@ZililoR