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The Young Warriors who play Botswana in Gaborone on Friday got a deserved lead in the 33rd minute courtesy of a long-range strike by Edmore Tsoro with substitute Mgcini Sibanda punishing his club with a chip over Ariel Sibanda in the last minute of added time.

With a bit of luck the Young Warriors could have embarrassed Bosso but their midfielder Chrispen Matshisi, impressive Knox Mutizwa, Tsoro and Farai Madora took turns to fluff chances.

“This was a good practice match for us and if you look, Highlanders are a big team and these boys managed to hold them. We were not worried about the result in this game as we wanted to give the boys some game time and also work on the team’s shortcomings. Hopefully in Botswana the boys will manage to make the most out of the chances that they will create,” said assistant coach Mandla Mpofu.

Mpofu was in charge of the team as head coach Jairos Tapera was in Harare attending a Caf B Licence Coaching Course and was expected to join camp last night.

The team leaves tomorrow by road to Botswana.

Kudakwashe Mahachi, Nqobizitha Masuku, Mutizwa and Tsoro won most of the balls in the midfield battle for the Young Warriors with Highlanders being restricted to their half for the better part of the game.

Highlanders’ best chance of the day fell to Beavan Chikaka who was set up by Peter Moyo but the former Warriors striker failed to beat an advancing Tonderai Mateyaunga five minutes before the break.

Ozias Zibande also failed to convert a rebound off a Takunda Sadiki long-range effort which was punched back into play by Mateyaunga in the 50th minute.

From the team that held Buffaloes to a one-all draw, only Atlast Musasa, Mthulisi Maphosa, Beavan Chikaka, Bruce Kangwa and Ashford Katsande played for Bosso.

Highlanders’ coach Kelvin Kaindu also had Heritein Masuku, Moyo and Sibanda ,some of the regulars in the team. The players that have featured for Highlanders in their opening matches that did not play yesterday are skipper Innocent Mapuranga, Masimba Mambare, Eric Mudzingwa, Simon Munawa, Graham Ncube, Milton Ncube and Bhekimpilo Ncube

Kaindu probably rested them for tomorrow’s encounter against FC Platinum in Zvishavane.

Asked about the absence of the above players, the Zambian expatriate was evasive.

“We registered 30 players and this was a time to look at other players. Actually this was the best team that we could field and we wanted to give others a chance.

“We were also using this game to try different formations,” said Kaindu.
Lawson Nkomo, Status Nsingo, Lewis Ncube, Sadiki, striker Ryan Howes, Bobby Nkomo and Polite Danana are some of the players that turned out for Bosso.

They also had their former striker Mkhokheli Dube who is based in the United States as a guest player.
Teams
Highlanders: A Katsande (A Sibanda 82nd minute), B Chikaka (R Howes 56th minute), M Maphosa (L Ncube 79th minute), H Masuku (B Nkomo 56th minute), P Moyo, A Musasa (B Kangwa 47th minute, S Nsingo 79th minute), D Ndlovu, T Ndlovu, L Nkomo, O Zibande (M Dube 56th minute), T Sadiki (P Danana 56th minute)
Zimbabwe National Under-20: T Mateyaunga (R Madzongwe 79th minute), W Kalongoda (C Ncube 46th minute), K Mahachi (E Moyo 46th minute), K Moyo, E Tsoro (T Muskwe 79th minute), K Mutizwa (M Sibanda 79th minute), C Machisi (E Dzirondiro 60th minute), F Madora, N Masuku , B Five (T Dzumbunu 60th minute)