BOSSO DEHORN RHINOS Highlanders's Gabriel Nyoni (with ball) tries to get past Black Rhinos's Masimba Mambare (right) during a soccer league match played at Barbourfields stadium in this file picture (Pic By Dennis Mudzamiri)
Highlanders's second goal scorer Gabriel Nyoni (with ball) tries to get past Black Rhinos's Masimba Mambare (right) during a soccer league match played at Barbourfields stadium yesterday.... (Pic By Dennis Mudzamiri)

Highlanders’s second goal scorer Gabriel Nyoni (with ball) tries to get past Black Rhinos’s Masimba Mambare (right) during a soccer league match played at Barbourfields stadium yesterday…. (Pic By Dennis Mudzamiri)

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
Highlanders 2-1 Black Rhinos

NEW-LOOK Highlanders got off to a morale boosting win in the 2018 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League against army side Black Rhinos at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.

Goals on either side of the break by Godfrey Makaruse and Gabriel Nyoni earned Highlanders maximum points, while veteran striker Lot Chiunga got the consolation goal for the visitors.

Highlanders got into the groove early into the match and were presented with an opportunity to shoot into the lead in the second minute following a combination of new signings. Striker, Newman Sianchali was brought down on the edge of the box by Rhinos keeper Herbert Rusawo and from the resultant free kick McClive Phiri failed to connect a clever pass from attacking midfielder, Nigel Makumbe.

The slim-built Makumbe, who had a good game for Highlanders, was unlucky not to find the back of the net when his well struck free kick in the 10th minute was tipped over for corner by Rusawo.

Bosso were to survive a scare seven minutes later when Wellington Taderera stole the ball from Adrian Silla just outside the Highlanders box, but shot wide in a hurry.

Highlanders went on to enjoy superior ball possession, with their right flank manned by the impressive Phiri giving Rhinos problems.

Black Rhinos's Masimba Mambare (left) tries to clear the ball under challenge from Highlanders's Nigel Makumbe and Gabriel Nyoni on the right during a soccer league match played at Barbourfields stadium yesterday...(Pic By Dennis Mudzamiri)

Black Rhinos’s Masimba Mambare (left) tries to clear the ball under challenge from Highlanders’s Nigel Makumbe during a soccer league match played at Barbourfields stadium yesterday…(Pic By Dennis Mudzamiri)

Makaruse gave Highlanders the lead in the 36th minute by heading home a perfect chip from Makumbe from the left following some brilliant footwork by the midfielder.

Highlanders launched a quick counter, with Peter Muduhwa’s long pass finding Nyoni, who quickly released the ball to Makumbe, and the attacking midfielder side-stepped his markers, leaving them for dead at the by-line before chipping the ball to Makaruse at the far post to head into an empty net.

The goal gave Makaruse some confidence, as he had been struggling with his game.

Rhinos struck back two minutes after the break from a set piece. The visitors won a free kick on the right side, just outside the Bosso box and left-back Farai Banda sent in a perfect cross that caught Bosso defenders flatfooted, leaving Chiunga to head the ball past stranded goalkeeper, Ariel Sibanda.

It didn’t take long for Highlanders to get their lead back, as Nyoni coolly slotted the ball past Rusawo after being set up by Makumbe. The midfielder showed great technical ability, which impressed the fans, when he  brought down a perfect cross from Phiri on the right to lay the ball onto Nyoni’s path to blast home.

Rhinos tried to claw back into the game, but found Highlanders hard to crack, with defensive midfielder Silla thwarting most of their attacks, leaving veterans like Masimba Mambare and Malvern Mekiwa frustrated.

Rhinos even tried to attack through the wings, but Highlanders’ wingbacks Honest Moyo and Phiri were equal to the task, Muduhwa and Tendai Ndlovu also had decent performances in central defence.

“I’m happy for the boys because this was a morale booster for them. Rhinos are a formidable side and from all the games that we’ve played so far, this was the most difficult. This was a challenging game, but I must say all the departments matched Rhinos,” said Madinda Ndlovu, the Highlanders’ coach.

Rhinos coach, Herbert Maruwa said: “It was always going to be difficult playing Highlanders in front of their supporters, but I’m happy with the way we got back into the game after a slow start. We lost to a good side.”

Teams

Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, McClive Phiri, Honest Moyo, Tendai Ndlovu, Peter Muduhwa, Adrian Silla, Gabriel Nyoni, Brian Banda (Munyaradzi Chitambwe, 87th minute), Godfrey Makaruse (Bukhosi Ncube, 69th minute), Nigel Makumbe (Ozias Zibande, 80th minute), Newman Sianchali

Black Rhinos: Herbert Rusawo, Tapiwa Sibanda, Farai Banda, Bruce Homora, Effort Kopeni, Donald Mudadi, Allen Gahadzikwa (Wonder Kapinda, 57th minute), Masimba Mambare, King Utete (Marlvern Mekiwa, 57th minute), Wellington Taderera (Tafadzwa Jaravani, 65th minute), Lot Chiunga

Results at a glance

Saturday: Bulawayo City 2-0 Chapungu, Ngezi Platinum 2-0 Herentals, ZPC Kariba v FC Platinum (not played), Nichrut 1-0 Mutare City, Yadah FC 2-2 Bulawayo Chiefs, Chicken Inn 1-0 Dynamos
Yesterday: Highlanders 2-1 Black Rhinos, Shabanie Mine 1-0 Triangle United, Caps United 0-0 Harare City

Table
P     W     D     L     F     A     GD     Pts
Bulawayo City     1     1     0     0     2     0     2     3
Ngezi Platinum     1     1     0     0     2     0     2     3
Highlanders     1     1     0     0     2     1     1     3
Chicken Inn     1     1     0     0     1     0     1     3
Nichrut     1     1     0     0     1     0     1     3
Shabanie Mine     1     1     0     0     1     0     1     3
Byo Chiefs     1     0     1     0     2     2     0     1
Yadah FC     1     0     1     0     2     2     0     1
Caps United     1     0     1     0     0     0     0     1
Harare City     1     0     1     0     0     0     0     1
FC Platinum     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
ZPC Kariba     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
Black Rhinos     1     0     0     1     1     2     -1     0
Dynamos     1     0     0     1     0     1     -1     0
Mutare City     1     0     0     1     0     1     -1     0
Triangle United     1     0     0     1     0     0     -1     0
Chapungu     1     0     0     1     0     2     -2     0
Herentials     1     0     0     1     0     2     -2     .0

@ZililoR

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