Highlanders drub Bulawayo Chiefs

Innocent Kurira at Barbourfields Stadium
Highlanders 2-0 Bulawayo Chiefs
COMING into the game, full of confidence on the back of an impressive victory against bitter rivals Dynamos, Highlanders picked up from where they left off in Harare as they brushed aside the Bulawayo Chiefs challenge which lay ahead of them yesterday.
For Bosso, who failed to win any local derby in the first round of fixtures, the victory meant a lot. A beauty of a free-kick from Malvern Sibanda which took a deflection off a Chiefs player three minutes before the break, and a second-half goal from Peter Muduhwa, which Bulawayo Chiefs players protested to no avail, was all it needed to provide the jubilation at Barbourfields Stadium at the final whistle.
Fans kept on singing in jubilation way after the game had ended which was proof of how much the victory meant to them. Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu was happy with the victory and thought they could have scored more goals.

Highlanders’ Marvin Sibanda (front centre) and teammates celebrate his goal from a free-kick spot against Bulawayo Chiefs FC during a Premiership match at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo yesterday. (Picture by Obey Sibanda)
“Another victory, we managed to score two goals and we managed to keep a clean sheet. We have managed to collect maximum points but the only challenge is the inability to convert the chances that we are creating.
“When you are playing a local team the games are close and tight and they have a tactically good coach, they were playing with a block which made it difficult for us to penetrate. If we had managed to score the few chances we had in the first minutes, it could have been more,” said Kaindu.
Chiefs lost several of their key players in the mid-season transfer window including the central defence paring of Xolisani Moyo and captain Malvin Hativagoni who joined TelOne and Ngezi Platinum respectively, but their coach Thulani Sibanda says they are trying to adjust to changes.
“We are coming out right. It’s unfortunate that we had to play a game of this magnitude after losing some players. But after this game I think we will come out right,” said Sibanda. Bosso broke the deadlock towards the end of the first-half through in-form Sibanda before their skipper, Muduhwa doubled the lead at the hour mark to make sure that Kaindu’s men collected maximum points at home.
Sibanda scored a brilliant free-kick in the 42nd minute to put a Highlanders side that had been wasteful in front of goal ahead. Sibanda’s goal came as redemption after he had missed a glorious chance in the 32nd minute.

Bosso vs Bulawayo Chiefs
With the goal at his mercy, somehow, Sibanda shot wide. Earlier in the game, Brighton Ncube had missed two clear-cut chances that could have seen Bosso go in front as early as the eighth minute.
It would go to the break with Bosso leading one nil. In search of the equaliser, Amakhosi made a half-time change, bringing in Joe Nyabinde in place of Bukhosi Sibanda. Ten minutes after the break, Highlanders would make their first change of the encounter with Nqobile Ndlovu coming in for Ncube. It was Ndlovu’s debut appearance for the black and white army.
Muduhwa’s goal in the 60th minute, was a tap-in from the near post which Chiefs players protested. Despite their protest, the referee Mhaka Magare would have none of it and the goal stood. In the 63rd minute, Ndlovu came close to having a dream debut appearance after he was put through on goal but his effort went wide.
Moments later, he got another chance which was cleared off the line by the Chiefs defence.
In the 74th minute, Chiefs were forced to make an injury-inspired substitution. Mpilwenhle Dube came in for Tadiwa Muchenje who was stretchered off the field of play after colliding with Reward Muza.

Bulawayo Chiefs’ goal minder Prosper Matutu fails to stop Highlanders’ Marvin Sibanda’s free-kick (Picture by Obey Sibanda)
It would be a memorable afternoon for the black and white army who have now made back-to-back victories following a 2-0 win over Dynamos last Sunday.
Teams
Highlanders: Reward Muza (gk), Marvelous Chigumira, Lynoth Chikuhwa, MacKinnon Mushore (Ackim Nkomo, 82mins), Marvin Sibanda (Gillian Nyathi, 82mins), Godfrey Makaruse (Honest Mhlanga, 82mins), Andrew Mbeba, Peter Muduhwa, Archford Faira, Brighton Ncube (Nqobile Ndlovu, 56mins), Melikhaya Ncube.
Bulawayo Chiefs: Prosper Matutu (GK), Cephas Musikavanhu, Leroy Ndlovu (Blessing Matebeck, 85mins) Bukhosi Sibanda (Joe Nyabinde 46mins), Emmanuel, Tarirai Chikwende, Nkosiyabo Masilela, Nkosilathi Ncube (Spencer Sikhosana, 85mins), Lucky Ndlela, Panashe Shoko, Tadiwa Muchenje ( Mpilwenhle Dube, 74mins), Jameson Masaza. — @innocentskizoe.
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