RALPH Matema converted from the spot in the 40th minute to ensure Highlanders clinched the Easycall Cup, beating league champions Chicken Inn in an exciting match played at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
HIGHLANDERS . . . . . .(1) 1 CHICKEN INN . . . . . . . 0
Referee Brighton Chimene awarded Bosso a penalty in the 39th minute, when Honest Moyo appeared to have made a dive inside the box under challenge from Chicken Inn skipper Danny “Deco” Phiri and up-stepped Matema to send goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze the wrong way.
But the jubilant Bosso fans, who took their wild celebrations to the city centre have goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda to thank as he made numerous saves as Chicken Inn bombarded Highlanders, who had an unstable midfield, left, right and centre.
“We are very happy at this moment, it has been a very difficult journey. We have been playing teams that were at the top of the log and it was not easy for us. Our defence was water-tight, we really tried to hold them. We normally concede goals in the second half, but today playing against the champions, we really did our best. I am happy we have given our fans a merry Christmas,” a cheerful Sibanda said after the match.
However, Deco and his coach Joey Antipas felt no contact had been made on Moyo, but said the referee’s decision was final.
“That should not have been a penalty, but I feel we didn’t really step up our game. We did not come to the party. We were not creative enough and if we had played another 90 minutes we still could not have scored a goal but I will give credit to the boys for fighting till the last minute, it’s just unfortunate we lost due to a dubious penalty,” Antipas said after the match.
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Bosso were presented with a trophy and will pocket $80 000 for winning the final, while Chicken Inn walk away with $50 000.
Highlanders’ technical adviser Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu was also over the moon.
“All we did was make sure we fulfil our mandate, end the season in top eight in the league and get to the final of the Easycall Cup and we did just that. We came into the game, with a changed team and the strategy was to diffuse [Clemence] Matawu, [Tafadzwa] Kutinyu, Deco, [Michelle] Katsvairo and George [Majika] who are their danger men,” Zulu said.
The match got off to quick start with Deco being fouled inside Bosso’s half before he let off a curler from the resultant free-kick which was saved by Sibanda with Katsvairo failing to capitalise on the rebound.
Another build-up initiated by the GameCocks’ engine Matawu in the 18th minute ended with Katsvairo releasing an effort from inside the box which was safely collected by Sibanda.
Matema could have scored in the 23rd minute, but his weak shot from Bruce Kangwa’s cross went straight into Chipezeze’s hands.
With central defender Hadebe having earned a yellow card in the 11th minute, Bosso coach Amini Soma-Phiri thought it wise to take him out in the second half and introduce Valentine Ndaba in the 47th minute and moved left-back Moyo to the centre. Bosso, who played second fiddle in midfield for the majority of the match were aided by the coming in of Nqobizitha Masuku for an injured Rahman Kutsanzira in the 58th minute.
However, Chicken Inn kept probing and Sibanda made a good save two minutes before the final whistle from a strike by Edmore Chirambadare inside the penalty box.
Chipezeze also saved Chicken Inn from falling further behind with some brilliant saves from Matema in the 59th minute and Knox Mutizwa in optional time.
TEAMS HIGHLANDERS: A Sibanda, T Ngulube, H Moyo, T Hadebe (V Ndaba 47’), K Mutizwa, K Nadolo (G Nyoni 79’), S Munawa, F Chindungwe, R Kutsanzira (N Masuku 58’), B Kangwa, R Matema
CHICKEN INN: E Chipezeze, T Kutinyu (T Banda 68’), L Mhlanga, P Bernard, D Lunga, C Matawu, B Nyahunzvi, G Majika (I Lawe 68’), D Phiri, E Chirambadare, M Katsvairo
