Highlanders 1-0 Dynamos

BULAWAYO – Cleopas Kapupurika’s winning goal had a large dose of fortune, but it was due reward for a dominant performance by Highlanders against their bitterest rivals.

Dynamos were outplayed and out-thought by a youthful Highlanders side who finally got the kind of reward their recent performances deserved, but for the lack of a killer instinct by their forwards.

In keeping with their struggles in front of goal, the 71st minute winner was fortuitous for the home side who had no spare seat in the heaving Barbourfields.

Brian Banda’s floated free-kick was directed goalward by Kapupurika, who had drifted to the left of Simbarashe Chinani’s goal.

Chinani appeared to gather the ball just slightly over his head but it somehow slipped through his jelly hands and dropped in the net behind. Chinani would have heard the quiet exasperation of Dynamos fans behind his goal, against the cauldron of unrepressed jubilation of an erupting Barbourfields.

Yet blaming this loss on Chinani would be cowardly for anyone connected with Dynamos, who had no single shot on target all afternoon.

As their coach Tonderayi Ndiraya later admitted, they were second best to their old enemy.

“We lost fairly. I think we would have done well to get a point, but we conceded in a painful manner. I think Highlanders controlled the game. We were chasing shadows for the better part of the game. We were slow on a number of things and I was really disappointed with the manner we conceded,” Ndiraya said as he surveyed an emptying Barbourfields with his opposite number Madinda Ndlovu doing a victory lap in front of fans for whom only one fixture really matters in a season.

Ndlovu is unlikely to be around to see the season through, with news of his imminent departure to Gaborone United of Botswana. If there was a best time to leave, what he delivered on Sunday would be it.

Highlanders fans had not witnessed such a dominant display against their bitterest rivals for a while. Both teams are struggling, but fixtures between the two traditionally bring out the best in players. On Sunday, it was the Highlanders players who lifted their game to put Dynamos to the sword.

Willed on by thousands of partisans, Highlanders could have scored a deserved opener on 22 minutes and what a goal it would have been.

Divine Mhindirira, outstanding all afternoon, drove in a low short which would have nestled into Chinani’s bottom right hand corner but the goalkeeper’s fingertips diverted the ball onto the upright. The ball bounced back into play and was cleared by the Dynamos defence.

Prince Dube and Nqobizitha Masuku also came close with headers as Highlanders continued to break free at will.

By the time Kapupurika scored, Highlanders most definitely should have been ahead after the ball fell kindly to Ray Lunga inside the box but he rifled wide on the volley.

Highlanders’ win sparked wild scenes of celebrations in Bulawayo, with parties continuing late into the night.

Teams

Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, Andrew Mbeba, Mbongeni Ndlovu, Tendai Ndlovu, Peter Muduhwa, Nqobizitha Masuku, Ray Lunga (Tinashe Makanda), Brian Banda, Prince Dube, Divine Mhindirira (Adrian Silla, 90th minute), Cleopas Kapupurika

Dynamos: Simbarashe Chinani, Emmanuel Jalai, Tinotenda Muringani, Timmy Tigere, Munyaradzi Mawadza, Ali Maliselo, Tawanda Macheke, Tawanda Chisi (Simbarashe Mupamaonde, 88th minute), Edward Sadomba, Vialli Tadzoka (Claude Ngahan, 62nd minute), Junior Selemani (Nigel Kawata, 88th minute)

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Results

Sunday

Caps United 3-3 Telone; Triangle United 0-0 Chicken Inn; Mushowani Stars 0-0 Hwange; Highlanders 1-0 Dynamos; Manica Diamonds 0-0 Ngezi Platinum

Saturday

Chapungu 1-2 Yadah; Bulawayo Chiefs 0-3 FC Platinum; Harare City 1-2 Herentals; Black Rhinos 0-0 ZPC Kariba