The Sunday News
Cosmas Zulu
Chicken Inn versus Bulawayo City
(Luveve Stadium 5/5/2018)
IT was a case of a training session at play for Chicken Inn for 80 minutes of the game. As early as first minute they could have got a goal.
There was a good cross by Obadiah Tarumbwa but it found no takers. The 13th and 15th minutes saw a good miss and a good save from the City goal minder.
In the 24th minute Obrien Chirinda’s dribbling artistry gave City defenders problems, failing to stop him but in the process, he got a yellow card for simulation when he could have gone and scored a second goal after George Majika had found the opener with a snap shot.
In the 53th minute City defenders failed to deal with a cross leading to Tarumbwa scoring the second goal. But I still can not understand how referees, the match commissioner and teams technical staff go and play with uniforms with similar colours.
Chicken Inn were in red tops, gold and black shorts and maroon stockings. Byo City had gold and black tops, red shorts and red stockings. I lost count of the number of times where in the terraces supporters from both sides got confused, and players themselves were passing the ball to opponents.
After a double substitution in the 80th minute, Byo City, now showing some aggression and urgency, could have got themselves a point after hitting a consolation goal from Nhlanhla Ndlovu.
They brought this fighting spirit a bit late. I will say this again to Bulawayo City players, it will be sad to lose another team this season from Southern Region to relegation. The sooner City start collecting points the better.
Highlanders versus ZPC Kariba
(Barbourfields Stadium, 06/05/2018)
With full-time close, you get a corner and the whole team goes on attack. What happens in the event of a counter attack from opponents? What a way to lose a game, and what a way to lose at home. That is the story of Highlanders.
From kick off, the tempo of the game was so low in such a way that one walking outside the stadium could think it’s half time because there was no usual whistling and cheering from the die-hard supporters of Highlanders.
It was until the 44th minute when the captain, Honest Moyo made a run up front with vigour, sending a pin point cross to Ozias Zibande who gave no chance to the ZPC goalkeeper with a beautiful header, raising hope to supporters that the second period was going to be better.
Little did they know that tactical maturity is not yet there among the players.
The ZPC equaliser came from a shot taken 20 meters from the goal.
Ariel Sibanda failed to smoothen the goals for Highlanders and defenders were slow in reacting to clear the spill, giving room to a ZPC striker to finish off with a simple tap in.
I don’t think it’s fair not to mention a thunder bolt of a dipping volley from 35 metres out by Bosso’s Adrian Silla which missed the upright by a few inches.
This could have been a goal-and-a-half, and this was at the end of first half. Perhaps the visitors deserved to win this game as they had a composed defence, slowing play down and forcing their opponents to play to their pace.
The goalkeeper was frustrating Highlanders supporters with his delaying tactics. This showed the team’s game plan. What a way and place to show tactical maturity.
Lastly I will say this to Highlanders players again; consistency requires you to be as ignorant in today’s game as you were on your last game.
The winning feeling is the secret of champions.
This is the feeling you must have before or the first thing when the league commences. It must be tattooed on your brain.
Historical facts
1958 World Cup in Sweden. 8 June to 29 June. Qualifiers Argentina ,Austria, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, England ,France , Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Wales, Yugoslavia. Brazil beat Sweden in the final 5-2.
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