Highlanders…(0)2
Dynamos…….(1)1
IT was billed to be the biggest match of the season, even though Highlanders and Dynamos are unlikely to win the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title, but the clash at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday matched every expectation.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
Highlanders roared back from a goal down to complete a memorable league double over Dynamos, having won the reverse fixture 2-0 at Rufaro Stadium.
Bosso turned on the power in the final quarter of a pulsating match, with Dynamos seemingly headed for a win after a first half goal by Masimba Mambare.
With the victory, the Bulawayo giants narrowed the gap between themselves and log leaders FC Platinum to six points, while second placed Caps United have five more points than Highlanders.
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Mambare thrust Dynamos into the lead after 28 minutes poking in from a Godknows Murwira header following a corner kick by Ocean Mushure. Highlanders then scored two goals in three minutes in the 76th and 79th minutes through headers from Tendai Ndlovu and substitute, Ralph Matema to send their fans into delirium.
Ndlovu got the equaliser, connecting a corner-kick by Erick Mudzingwa, while man-of-the-match, Highlanders’ central defender, Peter Muduhwa’s solo run, riding over three tackles, paid off when his cross was headed in by Matema.
An ecstatic coach, Erol Akbay, insisted Highlanders are still in the race for the honours this year.
“We played good football in the first half, but we made one mistake and Dynamos got a goal and it got difficult after that, because the opponents were now defending,” he said. “Besides failing to get a goal in the first half, everything was okay. Then in the second half, we changed our style and brought in another striker because we did not have much power upfront and I am happy the guy, who came in, (Matema) scored. It feels good every time you win, especially that we needed the three points today, because, if we had drawn, we would be eight points behind Platinum. We have to win every game now if we want something and the three points were very important. It’s not going to be easy but anything is possible.”
His counterpart, Lloyd Mutasa appeared to have thrown in the towel, with his side remaining on 35 points after yesterday’s defeat.
“It was heartbreaking. The youngsters lost concentration in the dying moments and we conceded two goals, which I thought, at this level, we could have avoided,” he said.
“We had the game in our hands. To me these are silly mistakes that could have been avoided and you are playing against a good side and they get two chances and they swing the pendulum in their favour. I said it a long time back that our destiny is not in our hands. We are trailing by 12 points and you can’t think of the championship. You can only look at ending in a respectable position.”
Dynamos started out strongly attacking from the left, with Mushure, who had the ball cleared from his feet by Muduhwa in the first minute and Denver Mukamba shot straight at goalkeeper Sibanda in the 13th minute.
Highlanders quickly settled and Prince Dube and Nhlanhla Ndlovu were denied by goalkeeper, Tatenda Mukuruva.
Rahman Kutsanzira, who had the game of his life, was denied by the cross bar in the 17th minute.
Dynamos’ substitution of injured central defender, Marshal Machazane in the 69th minute, and Bosso’s introduction of Matema and King Nadolo changed the teams’ fortunes in the second half.
Teams
Highlanders; A Sibanda, T Ngulube, H Moyo, T Ndlovu, P Muduhwa, E Mudzingwa, N Ndlovu, A Gahadzikwa (R Matema 58’), P Dube, R Kutsanzira (G Nyoni 89’), S Munawa (K Nadolo 67’)
Dynamos; T Mukuruva, G Murwirwa, O Mwerahari, M Machazane (R Mutuma 69’), D Mukandi, O Mushure, S Alimenda (V Ndaba 82’), T Sadiki, D Mukamba, W Mutasa (T Chipunza 66’), M Mambare
