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Zimbabwe: Gem Boys Revive Top-Four Hopes
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Manica Diamonds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 0
ManiANICA Diamonds jumped into third place following a narrow win over Highlanders in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Sakubva yesterday.
Coming into this encounter, Manica Diamonds and Highlanders were tied on 44 points, having won 11 games and drawing as many times, while enduring seven losses apiece.
Bosso had a better goal difference.
The hosts surged ahead early in the sixth minute after well-positioned Gem Boys defender Kelvin Gwao headed home a cross from Michael Tapera.
Highlanders showed determination to restore parity as the Bulawayo side enjoyed more ball possession, but somehow, a goal remained elusive.
The closest they came to finding the net was in the ninth minute when Never Rauzhi was set up by Gillian Nyathi but Manica Diamonds goalkeeper Godfrey Chitsumba summoned all his reflexes to parry a blistering shot over the crossbar.
Bosso were just unlucky not to have equalised in the 78th minute when a well-taken Andrew Mbeba free kick hit the upright and rolled out of play when an off-guard Chitsumba had already been beaten.
In the end, Manica Diamonds maintained the slender lead to bag maximum points.
Jairos Tapera was not happy with his team’s performance in the early stages of the match.
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“In the first 20 minutes, we did not play well even though that was the time we got a goal. We then remodelled and managed to pick ourselves up to hold on to our lead,” he said.
However, Tapera applauded his players for getting an early goal.
He said playing against Highlanders is self-motivating.
“The good thing is that we managed to get an early goal. I thank my players for that. The good thing about playing against a team like Highlanders is that the players feel motivated naturally because this is a big team. It was just not their day,” said the former Warriors and Young Warriors coach.
His opposite number, Kelvin Kaindu blamed the defeat on his team’s failure to convert the numerous scoring opportunities they created.
“I think we played well, applied ourselves well but somehow failed to get a goal. We created a lot of chances and got more corner kicks than our opponents, but we just could not score. That is the nature of the game,” said Kaindu.
Manica Diamonds: Chitsumba Godfrey; Lawrence Masibera; Jubani Thubelihle; Farai Banda; Kelvin Gwao; Jeffery Takunda; Enoch Karembo; Brett Amidu; Anelka Chivandire (Charles Teguru, 37th minute); Micheal Tapera (Panashe Mutasa, 86th minute); Tawanda Macheke (Fortune Binzi, 69th minute):
Highlanders: Raphael Pitisi; Talent Dube (Melikaya Ncube, 53rd minute); Lynoth Chikuhwa (Prince Dube, 53rd minute); Mackinnon Mushore (Honest Mhlanga, 86th minute); Mason Mushore; Andrew Mbeba; Peter Muduhwa; Gillian Nyathi (Godfrey Makaruse, 53rd minute); Arthur Ndlovu; Never Rauzhi; Brighton Ncube:
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