BARBOURFIELDS Stadium on Saturday reverberated to song and dance that spilled into the city centre and trickled into the high density suburbs till the wee hours of yesterday morning after Bulawayo giants Highlanders massacred neighbours How Mine 3-0 to bag the $130 000 Mbada Diamonds Cup.
FORTUNE MBELE,SPORTS REPORTER
It was a befitting victory for Highlanders, who had surrendered the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title to Dynamos a week ago on goal difference for the second successive season after last year’s league title challenge ended in the same fate.
An impressive crowd of about 22 000 fans, taking advantage of the $1 rest of the ground gate charge, courtesy of Mbada Diamonds, thronged Emagumeni to witness a magnificent display from Highlanders as they dismantled the gold miners, Premier Soccer League debutants who had beaten them twice in the league this year and were looking forward to a treble.
But How Mine found Bosso in a no nonsense mood as they meant business from the outset as man-of-the-match Peter “Rio” Moyo was in dazzling form getting the better of the miners Menard Mupera and Thembani “Smaller” Masuku while defensive linkman Simon Munawa stopped all attack in the centre.
A free roving role by Moyo saw him tear How Mine apart and form a lethal combination with the equally in-form Masimba Mambare on the right.
Highlanders were for their early dominance in the 17th minute when a cross from skipper Innocent Mapuranga fell on the path of veteran striker Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube, who made no mistake — firing the ball past How Mine goalkeeper Ephraim Mazarura.
Moyo, who had dominated the midfield exchanges was rewarded for his efforts scoring his first goal this year in the 25th minute from a Mambare cross. Then Mambare finished the gold miners off in the 49th minute after he was set up by Bruce Kangwa.
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How Mine tried to come back into the match with a few sporadic raids, but goalkeeper and player of the tournament Munyaradzi Diya shut out all their moves with the impressive Erick Mudzingwa in central defence, giving no chance for PSL debutants’ Mupera, Timothy January and Warren Dube.
Winning the coveted Mbada Diamonds Cup, could see head coach Kelvin Kaindu, who Highlanders fans had lost faith in after he left country for the United Kingdom to pursue a Uefa B Licence coaching course at a crucial moment in the league, retain his job as his contract expires at the end of the year.
Quizzed on his stay at Bosso after the match on Saturday, Kaindu said: “Why don’t you ask my employers on whether I will be around or not? I am standing before you right now as the Highlanders coach and it is not for me, but the employer to say if I will be allowed to continue.”
The Zambian, however, said he believed Bosso was on the right track to win the championship after winning their first major tournament since they last won the league on 2006.
The game had started off at fast pace for both sides, but How Mine was disjointed in the centre where Gilbert Banda was anchorman and Masuku and Mupera playing wide apart. The duo of January and Dube were not quick on recovery as Bosso attacked exposing especially lefty-back Khumbulani Banda to Mambare and Highlanders took advantage of the porosity of that flank.
How Mine skipper Herbert Dick, Nyasha Mukumbi in central defence and the wing-backs Brighton Dube and Khumbulani were kept on toes.
How Mine head coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube said his charges had failed to control the intensity of the game and had allowed two quick goals that broke down the team.
