Highlanders 1-0 ZPC Kariba

BULAWAYO – Returning Prince Dube inflicted the ultimate revenge on ten-men ZPC Kariba as his first half stunner fired Highlanders into the final of the Chibuku Super Cup on Sunday.

Highlanders will meet Ngezi Platinum in the final after they beat Harare City 7-6 on penalties on Saturday following a 1-1 stalemate after 90 minutes.

Dube was given a straight red card when the two teams met in a league match on October 23 for a deliberate stamp on ZPC goalkeeper, Future Sibanda.

Highlanders coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh was sure referee Tatenda Bvekerwa had got it wrong, and the grievance would have carried more urgency than any team talk that De Jongh could give his players in Dube’s first match since his expulsion.

Inside a rainswept Barbourfields, it was however ZPC Kariba who showed early initiative with a dominant display in the opening half hour.

Highlanders, willed on by thousands of their partisans who braved the rain, scored with their first sight of goal on 35 minutes as Dube made the visitors pay.

Tinashe Makanda, picking up the ball just outside the centre circle, fed Dube who had run wide right. With one deft touch, Dube shifted the ball inside to his weaker left foot before planting a dipping curler past Takabva Mawaya.

Highlanders could have doubled their lead 15 minutes before the end but Makanda was denied by the crossbar.

Ian Nekati was shown a straight red late on for an elbow on Highlanders winger Godfrey Makaruse.

De Jongh admitted they had not played too well under tricky conditions.

“I’m just happy that we’re in the final. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t play that good because what we wanted was to be in the final. We scored at the right time, at the perfect time,” said De Jongh.