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Highlanders’ Charles Sibanda (left) fights for possession with Caps United’s Stephen Makatuka in yesterday’s match at Barbourfields Stadium

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter—
Highlanders 4-0 Caps United
A SUBLIME performance by Highlanders FC saw the Bulawayo giants dismantle perennial rivals Caps United to shoot to the top of the log in a match played at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday. Rahman Kutsanzira, a former Caps United midfielder headed in the opener seven minutes into the match. A long clearance from Highlanders’ backline was flicked into the box by Charles Sibanda with Ozias Zibande also doing the same before Kutsanzira rose above Caps United’s central defenders to head the ball past a hapless Tafadzwa Dube.

The visitors, who had been dominant from the first whistle, picked up the pieces even when they were down, knocking the ball around, building their moves from the back but failed to crack a resolute Highlanders outfit whose defence had skipper Innocent Mapuranga, Simon Munawa, Bruce Kangwa and Dumisani Ndlovu.

Goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda was given the nod ahead of Njabulo Nyoni after Munyaradzi Diya was rested following his costly midweek mistake against Chicken Inn which gifted the Gamecocks a draw.

Unlike in their last game against Chicken Inn where Highlanders lacked aggression and failed to string more than five passes together, yesterday Bosso, who were without head coach Kelvin Kaindu who is in the United Kingdom, fought for every ball and showed a desire to win.

Highlanders thwarted Caps United’s forays from the midfield which had Tendai Samanja, Dominic Mukandi, Tinashe Mukanahili and Gerald Phiri. Bosso’s Eric Mudzingwa, who is doing well in his anchoring role ably supported by Welcome Ndiweni with Kudakwashe Mahachi and Kutsanzira deployed on the wings, kept his team’s shape and won most duels with young Zibande the lead striker.

Charles Sibanda partnered Zibande upfront but also helped in the midfield in one of his best games.
Highlanders’ positive build ups from the back led to their second goal 10 minutes before the break when industrious Ndiweni sent a long pass to Mahachi on the left who beat a marker and sent in a perfect cross which Zibande headed home. It was Zibande’s third goal of the season.

Just as Caps United were still trying to recover from what had hit them, Mahachi’s 55th minute well struck goal took away the Green Machine’s hopes of coming back into the game.

As if that was not enough, Cleopas “Balloteli” Dube, making his second league appearance for Highlanders this season, got his name on the score sheet with his second touch of the ball, barely a minute after replacing Zibande in the 82nd minute with a blistering shot after Munawa threaded an inch perfect pass into the box.

Caps United’s coach Taurai Mangwiro conceded defeat saying; “It’s one of those days that everything did not go according to plan. We thought we were going to come up stronger after the first goal but everything that Highlanders touched turned into gold today. Our midfield got off to a slow start and the wing play worked for them as we allowed them to come with lots of crosses.

“We mustn’t despair because even great teams in the world like Bayern Munich and Chelsea conceded huge defeats.”
Caps United never bothered the Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel in the first half and only made meaningful attempts at goal in the second half that never troubled Bosso.

Two minutes after resumption of the second half Malawian international Ishmael Thindwa took advantage of a lapse by Highlanders’ Mapuranga and Mudzingwa and got between the two to head wide.
Later the visitors resorted to long-range efforts but again they failed to beat Ariel.

With less than a quarter of an hour left, Caps United’s striker Dominic Chungwa had his headed effort hitting the upright and had another attempt in stoppage time cleared on the goal line by Kangwa.

Highlanders’ assistant coach Mark Mathe, standing in for Kaindu, was happy with his players’ performance and said the four changes that they made to the starting line up were “purely strategic and tactical.”

Mapuranga sat it out against Chicken Inn and came in for Felix Chindungwe while Charles, who was a second half substitute in the midweek encounter, started in the absence of the injured Milton Ncube with Kutsanzira thrown into the fray for Knox Mutizwa.
Ariel replaced Diya.

“This is a big improvement on the back of two draws. In the dressing room I simply told the guys that we should convert the chances we create and score more goals so that we kill the game. The whole team played well and our wing play yielded the desired results.

“About the changes, they were purely strategic and tactical. We have had to rotate our players because of fixture congestion,” Mathe said.

Teams
Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, Simon Munawa, Dumisani Ndlovu, Innocent Mapuranga, Bruce Kangwa, Eric Mudzingwa, Rahman Kutsanzira (Khumbulani Banda, 57th minute), Welcome Ndiweni, Ozias Zibande (Cleopas Dube, 81st minute), Charles Sibanda (Mgcini Sibanda, 87th minute), Kudakwashe Mahachi

Caps United: Tafadzwa Dube, Tapiwa Khumbuyani (Moses Muchenje, 44th minute), Blessing Zabula, Stephen Makatuka, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Tendai Samanja, Dominic Mukandi, Gerald Phiri (Pervington Zimunya, 72nd minute), Tinashe Mukanahili (Jorum Muchambo, 41st minute), Ishmael Thindwa, Dominic Chungwa