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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

Highlanders FC 2-0 Triangle United

THE jeers and boos have turned into cheers!

A few weeks ago, some sections within the Highlanders family had doubts in coach Baltermar Brito but he is slowly winning hearts and minds.

Highlanders fans kept singing and dancing long after the final whistle as a Lynoth Chikuhwa brace fired Bosso to a comprehensive victory over the Sugar Boys.

It could have been more had Bosso been more clinical in front of goal but what is comforting is that they collected the three points.

The fans had every reason to be happy.

This was the first time the side won three successive league games this season.

Not only that, Bosso have won four games on the trot.

Three in the league and one in the Chibuku Super Cup victory also against Triangle.

Bosso went into the lead as early as the third minute courtesy of a Chikuhwa converted penalty kick.

This was after Tawanda Musariri had handled a Devine Mhindirira cross inside the box. Chikuhwa stepped up and made no mistake from 12 yards. The striker would make it a brace with a 65th minute strike from close range.

This was Chikuhwa’s ninth goal of the season.

Bosso assistant coach Antonio Torres commended Chikuhwa for his performance but also attributed his success to teamwork.

“Congratulations to him. These numbers no one can take away from him but we want to look at it as what the players did as a team. First of all we are happy because we won. This victory belongs to the boys because they did well during training. This victory is for the team. Pitisi did well as we said we trust in the boy and his time will come. He is the one for the future, the boy is good,” said Torres.

The visitors’ coach, Jairos Tapera said: “We lost, but in terms of general play we were up there. We were moving the ball well but there are places where we could have done better in the opposition half.”

The victory took Bosso to 44 points, just a point behind third placed Chicken Inn. From the onset, Highlanders were the better team but were in numerous cases undone by poor finishing.

With Bosso dominating the early proceedings, the visitors’ first real threat came through midfielder Gerald Bero after nine minutes of play. Bero did well to go past Godfrey Makaruse on the left but could not direct his effort from the edge of the box.
Goalkeeper Raphael Pitisi exhibited brilliant goal distribution skills after 13 minutes, sending in a perfect through ball to Chikuhwa who found himself face to face with Geoffrey Chitsumba in goal for Triangle.

Chikuhwa’s rising shot at goal was tipped over the bar by Chitsumba. Chikuhwa headed the resultant corner-kick over the bar. Pitisi’s perfect pass was applauded by Brito.

Besides a few uncostly errors, Pitisi was confident in-between the sticks and his ball distribution was on point. At one point he turned to the Soweto and Mpankweni stands to drum up support and the fans duly obliged. It was a sure sign of confidence from the 20-year-old goal-minder who was holding fort for suspended Ariel Sibanda.

In the 16th minute, Bosso captain Nqobizitha Masuku found Mhindirira with acres of space just outside the box. The midfielder set himself nicely but watched his effort go over the crossbar.

In the 36th minute Mhindirira sent Chikuhwa through on goal, with an option to pass, the striker went for goal and found the side net.

Five minutes after the break, James Mukombwe cleared off the line an Andrew Mbeba cross into the box that had been poorly dealt with by Chitsumba.

Ray Lunga was next to close in the 55th minute as he rifled over the bar after being teed up by Chikuhwa. A minute later, Bero attempted an overhead at the other end from a corner kick but could not find the target.

Chikuhwa had a chance to score a hattrick after Peter Mudhuwa had bulldozed his way into the box and the ball eventually fell in the path of Chikuhwa who blazed over the bar.

Teams

Highlanders fc
Raphael Pitisi, Devine Mhindirira (Rahman Kutsanzira 80 mins) , Lynoth Chikuhwa ( Prince Ndlovu 86 mins) , Ray Lunga (Pritchard Mpelele 80 mins), Nqobizitha Masuku, Godfrey Makaruse, Andrew Mbeba, Peter Muduhwa, Darlington Mukuli (Mason Mushore 86 mins) , Mbongeni Ndlovu, Washington Navaya (Stanley Ngala 71 mins)

Triangle United
Geoffrey Chitsumba, Jameson Mukombwe, Tawanda Musariri ( Russell Madamombe 58 mins), Tawanda Chisi, Kelvin Gwao, Tinashe Kabanda (Emmaculate Mawuna 88 mins), Tawanda Karembo, Dzingai Chirambamuriwo (Tinotenda Mutsyambidzi 58 mins), Misheck Ngwenya, Gerald Bero, Donald Ngoma ( Matthew Hlabati 58 mins)