Having posted a similar result against Chicken Inn two weeks ago, Highlanders yesterday failed to assert their credentials as serious league title contenders on an afternoon where their opponents were the better side.
Arriving in Harare highly-fancied and expected to roll past the Mighty Bulls, Bosso could feel jinxed against Motor Action whom they last beat on June 15 2008 in a league match, but could take solace in the fact that they remained on top of the log standings despite the setback.The hosts climbed three places up to eighth spot.
Kelvin Kaindu’s men could be cursing referee Langton Chitsa on their long journey back to Bulawayo after being denied a penalty when Bulls defender Godfrey Moyo appeared to have handled inside the box 11 minutes from time.
Motor Action threatened to scale the Bosso wall as early as 14 minutes in to the game when Ismael Lawe’s shot was parried back into play by Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, with Yves Ebabali’s blast of the rebound crashing against the cross bar.This triggered a predictable response from the visitors who three minutes later saw an unmarked Masimba Mambare failing to connect with his head a Graham Ncube cross.
Isaac Masame wasted three chances and Norman Maroto could not direct his header at the end of a free-kick by captain Passmore Bernard to end a first half where Bulls could have made the difference.
Nine minutes after the restart, Bosso’s teenage striker Ozias Zibande met Graham Ncube’s through pass but his shot went over the bar.Five minutes before the final whistle, Sibanda nearly conceded in a Motor Action counter raid when he came off his goal area and was beaten by substitute Ngoni Maviri who agonisingly watched the ball sail past just wide.
Kaindu sounded not worried at dropping four points in two matches.
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“I’ts not that we are losing points but in football you do not get maximum points in every game. Motor Action gave us a good challenge. I think the game was fair except that we were denied what we thought was a penalty but we respect the referee’s decision,” said Kaindu.Mighty Bulls coach Joey Antipas felt his side deserved to win.
“I give credit to Highlanders for giving us a good game but my boys commendably put in 100% effort. I think we should have won had we sneaked in those chances,” Antipas said.
