HIGHLANDERS had to dig deep to get a point against plucky Cranborne Bullets in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played here yesterday afternoon.
Two quick goals in the first half from the visiting Harare side gave Highlanders some anxious moments and they had to fight hard to snatch a point.
After the match Highlanders coach Mandla Mpofu said his team lost two valuable points.
“We have dropped two points. We want to make Barbourfields a fortress but if we can’t get 3 points I become worried. It was sloppy from the onset, the body language was not good. We conceded two soft goals. I thought our opponents did not really work for them,” Mpofu said.
“Overall, I might say I am very disappointed especially with the first half. I think we were better in the second half. I appreciate the fighting spirit because we could have been embarrassed at home,” said Mpofu.
Cranborne Bullets coach Nesbert Saruchera praised his team for holding the Bulawayo football giants.
“We have a lot of youngsters that is why we couldn’t manage the game in the second half but credit to the boys they did well.
“I knew two goals in the first half were not going to be enough to beat Highlanders. I am happy we managed to grab a point from the giants of Zimbabwean football,” said Saruchera.
The match started on a scrappy note with little in terms of entertainment and meaningful build ups from both ends.
Cranborne broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the match through Tadiwa Chibunyu who connected with a beautiful header a cross from Prince Mutasa on the left side of attack to give the visitors the lead.
Brian Muzondiwa then doubled the scores for the visitors two minutes later after a blunder by Bosso defender Crispen Ncube whose back pass to his goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda was intercepted by Muzondiwa who then drilled the ball past the advancing Sibanda.
Highlanders came out of their shell after conceding the second goal as they started to make some meaningful raids into the visitors’ half.
Their efforts paid dividends when they scored their opener through Adrian Silla four minutes after the half hour mark.
In the second half Highlanders continued from where they had left the first half in search of an equaliser.
They deservedly found the equaliser through Lynoth Chikuhwa 76 minutes into the match with a header off a Rahman Kutsanzira cross.
After the equaliser Highlanders camped in the visitors half in search of a winner but the Harare side defended resolutely up to the end of the exciting match.
by
Nash Mkokwayarira
at BARBOURFIELDS STADIUM