Agallant ten-man Highlanders turned on the power to hand Harare City their first home defeat of the Castle Lager Premier soccer League season in a high-octane encounter at Rufaro Stadium yesterday.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE Harare City ……….(1)1 Highlanders…… (1)2
Bosso’s Andrew Mbeba was sent off two minutes into the second half with the scores level at 1-1.
However, Nigel Makumbe stunned the home crowd with a 66th minute winner for the numerically disadvantaged Bulawayo giants.
Godfrey Makaruse had given Bosso the lead after nine minutes before Wilfred Muvirimi restored parity three minutes later.
Highlanders technical manager Madinda Ndlovu did not show up for the post-match interview, while his opposite number Mark Harrison was fuming after the match “That’s the most ridiculous game we have lost this season. We gave away two ridiculous goals at the back. We are 1-1, we are in control and they give away another goal. Our decision-making in the final third was poor. We should have never lost that game,” Harrison said.
Makaruse scored after taking advantage of a blind back pass by Brighton Chayambuka, curling his effort into the top-left corner of Ryan Harrison’s goal.
Four minutes later, Harare City were back level after Muvirimi latched on to a Protasho Kabwe pass to lob the ball over an advancing Ariel Sibanda in goals for Bosso.
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Mbeba was red-carded in the 47th minute for a second bookable offence following a crude tackle on speedy winger Marlvin Gaki.
Makumbe gave Bosso the victory with a cool finish from an angle following a quick counter-attack 16 minutes into the second half.
Harare City piled on the pressure and were unlucky not to draw level after Tendai Samanja’s rising shot clipped the top of the cross bar 11 minutes from time. Sibanda denied Jerry Chipangura and Martin Vengesai in quick succession late in the match as Bosso gallantly clung on to the precious points.
Meanwhile, in another match played in Harare, Archmore Majarira rose from the bench to score the only goal of the match in the 88th minute as Herentals posted their fourth win of the season with a victory over Nichrut in an entertaining Castle Lager Premier Soccer League tie at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
Teams
Harare City: R Harrison, R Uchena, H Chapusha, B Chayambuka, M Diro-Nyenye, T Samanja, M Muchenje, T Tumba (M Vengesai 46’), W Muvirimi (J Chipangura 73’), P Kabwe (D Chimwemwe 67’), M Gaki.
Highlanders: A Sibanda, C Siamalonga, M Phiri, A Silla, B Banda, N Sianchali, B Musaka (B Ncube 51’), V Moyo, G Makaruse (B Jaravaza 77’), A Mbeba, P Muduhwa, N Makumbe.
Results and fixtures
Friday: Black Rhinos 2-1 Chicken Inn.
Yesterday: FC Platinum 4-0 Shabanie Mine, Herentals 1-0 Nichrut, Harare City 1-2 Highlanders, Bulawayo City 3-3 Yadah FC.
Today: CAPS United v Mutare City Rovers (NSS), Chapungu v ZPC Kariba (Ascot), Bulawayo Chiefs v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Luveve), Triangle United v Dynamos (Gibbo)
