HIGHLANDERS . . . . . . . (1) 1 ZPC KARIBA . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
ADRIAN Silla scored his first goal for Highlanders to help the Bulawayo giants record their first Castle Lager Premier Soccer League win over ZPC Kariba at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday to maintain pole position on the table.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
Silla struck in the 40th minute with a volley inside the penalty box connecting after an attempted clearance off the line by ZPC Kariba defender Lincoln Zvasiya.
Zvasiya did well to block a Prince Dube header, but his clearance fell onto Silla’s path, who made no mistake and powering a volley past goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya.
The win took Highlanders’ tally to 26 points in 11 matches and coach Erol Akbay was an excited man despite the visitors giving Bosso a torrid time in the second half.
“If I’m going to win like this every week so be it, but we gave them too much space in the midfield in the second half. We played good football in the first half and had more scoring opportunities. But the most important thing is that we got the three points,” Akbay said.
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It was ZPC Kariba’s second defeat of the season, and veteran coach Sunday Chidzambwa conceded that his boys lost to a better side. “We lost to a good side. We played well in the second half and gave it our best, but could not get the goals,” Chidzambwa said after the match.
Silla’s goal brought back to life a game that had degenerated into a tepid affair following a fast start.
ZPC Kariba came back strongly in the second half after making tactical changes pushing Zvasiya into a more advanced position to control the midfield.
They raided Highlanders goal area on numerous occasions, but the hosts were solid in defence with impressive central defender Peter Muduhwa and skipper Felix Chindungwe holding firm.
Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe had his speculative cross punched away for a corner kick by Highlanders shot stopper Njabulo Nyoni three minutes after the break.
Striker Limited Chikafa was also denied twice by Nyoni in the second half as the power utility side sought the elusive equaliser.
ZPC Kariba remain on 21 points from 11 games behind Caps United (24) and FC Platinum on 23 points.
TEAMS:
HIGHLANDERS: N Nyoni, B Phiri, H Moyo, P Muduhwa, F Chindungwe, E Mudzingwa, P Dube, A Silla (B Banda 70′), K Mutizwa, B Kangwa, S Munawa (T Ngulube 83′)
ZPC KARIBA: T Mawaya, L Zvasiya, S Appiah, T Nyamandwe, M Kunyarimwe, T Munyanduri, T Mamvura (D Chakupe 68′), G Mangani (P Kabwe 52′), N Tigere, L Chikafa, T Chitora (W Mtasa 78′)
