HIGHLANDERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(2)
GREEN FUEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
A LYNOTH Chikuhwa hat-trick carried the day for a fired up Highlanders as they compounded Green Fuel's relegation woes in an exciting Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played before a paltry crowd at Barboufields Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Chikuhwa took his season's tally to 15 goals, placing him as the firm favourite for the 2024 Golden Boot Award. He, however, will have to thank player of the match Brighton Ncube who unselfishly provided all the assists for his goals.
Amid calls for Bosso fans to boycott the encounter, it was a different story as the crowd turnout was better than the previous home match against ZPC Kariba.
The match kicked off with a moment of silence observed for the late Bosso chief executive officer, Sihlangu Dlodlo, who was laid to rest at Lady Stanley cemetery on Saturday having died last week.
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Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu dedicated the victory to Dlodlo. “We said it before the game, the only way we can dedicate the game for him is to post our biggest win and this is exactly what we did. We could have scored even more goals but for us to score four is a plus... We have honoured this game and dedicated this game to our CEO," said Kaindu.
Green Fuel assistant coach Taurai Mangwiro blamed the poor start for his boys' defeat.
“Very difficult game for us. A drubbing we got and our start was not the best. When we thought we were coming back into the game, that is when they hit us, especially with the second goal. We noticed in the first 15 minutes we made only one box entry and they had scored on 10 minutes. After regrouping we thought we were in the ascendancy, what we needed was to hang in there," said Mangwiro.
In the 10th minute, goalkeeper Raphael Pitisi engineered Bosso's opener with a long ball that unlocked Ncube. The burly forward easily shook off his marker and laid a sitter for Chikuhwa, who scored his 13th goal of the season from 12 yards out.
Bosso continued to pile pressure on Green Fuel, sensing victory. In the 22nd minute, Chikuhwa nearly doubled the lead, but his effort was blocked inside the box after impressive work on the right flank by Never Rauzhi. Rauzhi's cut-back was well-anticipated by Ncube, who pushed it onto Chikuhwa's path.
Green Fuel's first shot on target came after 25 minutes when Garikai Dematsika fired inside the box from a Donald Ngoma pass. However, his effort lost the sting due to a deflection and landed safely in Pitisi's arms.
After 32 minutes, Gillian Nyathi was teed up by Chikuhwa but his shot at the edge of the box lacked precision.
In the 40th minute, Mason Mushore received a yellow card for fouling Nelson Mwanasanga at the edge of the box.
Chikuhwa scored his second goal of the day in the 42nd minute with a curled effort after running onto a Ncube pass. His excellent first touch set him through, facing the goalkeeper Tendai Chirara and he curled a beautiful shot into the bottom corner.
On the stroke of halftime, Green Fuel's penalty appeal was waved away by referee Israel Nebera after a tussle between livewire Mwanasanga and Arthur Ndlovu resulted in the former going down inside the box.
Bosso went to the break in the ascendancy.
Green Fuel came back from the break playing with purpose.In the 47th minute, a Brian Chikwenya cross was mistimed by the goalkeeper Pitisi and it went out for a corner kick which the Lowveld side wasted.
Bosso should have scored the third goal in the 64th minute after a wonderful build up involving Godfrey Makaruse and Nigel Banda, culminated in the youngster laying a sitter for Ncube, who, however, was casual in firing a curled effort that was palmed away by Chirara.
Ncube was having a game of his life as his mazy runs kept the Green Fuel defenders in their toes. In the 72nd minute, he once again fed Chikuhwa who almost beat Chirara on the near post but the effort hit the underside of the crossbar.
Action swung from one end to the other and substitute Bruno Mtigo almost brought Green Fuel back into the game but a last ditch tackle by Talent Dube prevented the forward from shooting with Pitisi exposed in the 74th minute.
Ncube broke free in the 76th minute, did everything right only for Chirara to acrobatically palm his effort destined for the far corner away from goal.
Substitute Marvin Sibanda scored Bosso's third in the 83rd minute with a header off a Marvellous Chigumira freekick. This was after Dube was needlessly fouled by another substitute Chris Ngwende.
Chikuhwa then completed his hat-trick deep into the referee's optional time with a tap in after another tee off by Ncube. He had the easiest of tasks to turn it home with Green Fuel down to 10-men with skipper Honest Moyo receiving treatment outside the field of play.
Bosso climbed up to fourth on the standings with 47 points while Green Fuel remained in the relegation zone with 36 points.
Teams:
Highlanders: R Pitisi, T Dube, L Chikuhwa, G Makaruse (M Chigumira 82), A Mbeba, M Mushore (M Ncube 57), P Muduhwa, G Nyathi (M Sibanda 57), A Ndlovu, N Rauzhi (N Banda 46), B Ncube
Green Fuel: T Chirara, B Chikwenya (J Ngulube 67), H Moyo, R Chinemo, D Nhongo, A Silla, C Duhwa (Ngwende 67), D Ngoma (B Mtigo 71), G Dematsika, N Takawira (M Gasela 46), N Mwanasanga