HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu offered the most professional explanation after his side’s devastating draw against Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday, desperate to avoid an unnecessary brush with Zimbabwean match officials for the third week running.
Report by Wellington Toni
After getting a red card at Gibbo Stadium in his side’s 2-1 win over Triangle, Kaindu saw his charges lose 1-0 to Dynamos in the Independence Trophy final where Highlanders had a goal disallowed for offside before Njabulo Ncube’s red card.
Ncube got his marching orders after head-butting Gift Bello in an off-the-ball incident.
After Ncube had given Highlanders the lead in the 51st minute against Dynamos on Sunday at Rufaro Stadium, the former champions held on until the 95th minute when Patson Jaure ghosted in from the blind side from a corner to sneak in the equaliser.
The four minutes of injury time had elapsed, but because of injuries to Highlanders players, referee Norman Matemera added more time and Law 7 allows that.
“The fourth official indicates the minimum additional time decided by the referee at the end of the final minute of each period of play.
“The announcement of the additional time does not indicate the exact amount of time left in the match.
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“The time may be increased, but never reduced.”
That did not go down well with the Highlanders fans and players with substitute Milton Ncube, who survived a kung-fu kick from Partson Jaure, accosting the match officials at the end of the match.
Team manager Willard Khumalo had a busy time trying to stop a physical confrontation. Police also came into the fray defusing tensions at the end of the match.
“The players lost concentration at the end of the match. They were looking at the time because they thought the match had ended, but unfortunately the referee had added some minutes and we were punished,” Kaindu said in his post-match comments.
That concentration was clearly lost when Mthulisi Maphosa started playing to the gallery just before the end of the match.
Zimbabwean referees have been known to be vindictive in the past and Luke Masomere, now at Shabanie Mine, would testify how Masvingo United got relegated from the Premiership even when they were not playing badly.
Highlanders last beat Dynamos in 2006 when they won their last league title, while the defending champions have also not won in three league matches against the Bulawayo giants, all ending in 1-1 draws.
Dynamos have struggled with their game save for the Bob89 Super Cup wins over Highlanders and the 3-0 win over Lesotho Correctional Services in the first leg of the preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.
They lost the return leg 1-0 in Maseru, lost 3-0 to CA Birzetin before beating the Tunisians 1-0 at home in the return leg of the first round of the Champions League.
In the league, they have drawn five in a row and find themselves in 12th place, having failed to score more than once in all the games. Perhaps, the major problem has been personnel for Kalisto Pasuwa.
Tawanda Muparati, Murape Murape, Artwell Mukandi, Devon Chafa, Jaure, Augustine Mbara, Stephen Alimenda and Thomas Magorimbo deserve the blue and white jersey.
Fillers like Patrick Kumbula, Francisco Zekumbawira — did well at Hwange feeding off Gilbert Zulu and Nkosana Siwela — and Allan Tavariswa have not understood what it means to don that jersey. They need time and Pasuwa, after five draws, does not have that, especially after last week’s emergency meeting with the executive.
So, after the Premier Soccer League approved the use of Dulibadzimu at the weekend for their match against Tripple B, the search for the first win of the season continues.
A win would catapult them into the top eight depending on results from the other matches.
Highlanders return home on Sunday to face Black Rhinos at Barbourfields Stadium in what is expected to be a crunch encounter with the hosts hunting for three points. Highlanders are two points behind leaders FC Platinum, who lost 1-0 to Shabanie Mine on Luke Masomere’s return.
