HIGHLANDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(3) 4
KWEKWE UNITED . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 0
A BRIGHTON Ncube hat-trick carried the day for a fired-up Highlanders as they defeated 10-man Kwekwe United in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
Bosso ran riot in the first half spurred on by the hard-running Brighton and Reason Sibanda. The combination caused a lot of problems for Kwekwe United with their high pressing.
Kwekwe United coach Saul Chaminuka's strategy of relying on veterans Dennis Dauda, Allan Gahadzikwa, Masimba Mambare and Hillary Bakacheza backfired as they struggled to contain the marauding Highlanders forwards in the first half.
After two minutes of action, Mason Mushore collected a loose ball and sent a harmless-looking cross, which was powered home by the head of Melikhaya Ncube, beating a diving Elton Nechiware.
After 15 minutes of action, Brighton outpaced the Kwekwe defence and Saul Chaminuka (jnr) had no option but to trip the Bosso forward, who had a clear sight of goal. Brighton dusted himself off and sent Nechiware the wrong way.
Dauda was particularly suspect at centre back, as he continued to allow the Bosso forwards space behind. After 26 minutes, Sibanda broke free, and his first touch beat goalkeeper Nechiware, who extended his body to block the ball with his hand, way outside the box.
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Tragedy struck for Chaminuka's men as Mhaka Magare visited the law book and red-carded the goalkeeper for handling outside the penalty box.
Kwekwe had struggled with 11 players, and with only 10 players remaining on the field of play, the match was as good as done.
Deep into the referee's five minutes of optional time in the first half, Brighton scored his second after a beautiful interchange of passes with McKinnon Mushore. The forward obliged with a side-footed shot inside the box, giving substitute goalkeeper Lennon Gonese no chance.
Although Kwekwe United fared better in the second half, they were cowed to submission in the 67th minute after Bosso was awarded another penalty. Sibanda, who was going for the kill, was tripped by substitute Kativu Musukutwa inside the box. Brighton fired his effort to the roof of the net to complete his hat- trick.
Chaminuka felt his charges were slow to take off and the early goal unsettled them. "Coming to BF at a time like this, obviously the result speaks for itself. We took off late, and we conceded early. After we conceded early, our young players said this was the BF we were hearing about. To tell the truth, we crumbled,” Chaminuka said.
Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu was happy that his boys scored four goals and kept a clean sheet. "We managed to score four goals and kept a clean sheet. We looked stable. We didn't allow the opponent to create chances. But I think we relaxed a bit when they were a man down, and we allowed them to play in the midfield,” Kaindu said.
Highlanders travel to Chisumbanje to take on Green Fuel in their next match while Kwekwe United will host Bikita Minerals.
Teams
Highlanders: R Pitisi, T Dube, A Ndlovu, B Mlotshwa, A Mbeba, Mason Mushore (D Mukuli 82), M Ncube, P Ndlovu (M Sibanda 58), R Sibanda (N Ndlovu 82), B Ncube (N Banda 74), McKinnon Mushore (G Nyathi 74)
Kwekwe United: E Nechiware, A Taruvinga, L Saungweme, D Dauda (L Gonese 31), E Mutimbanyoka (Musukutwa 33), T Muzenda (T January 46), H Bakacheza (T Chikwende 55), A Gahadzikwa, M Mambare, A Murimba (W Ncube 46)
