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 Bosso .......(1)1
G Buffaloes....0
Result
Scorer: Cuthbert Malajila.
Bosso win 2-1 on aggregate.
CUTHBERT Malajila secured Highlanders’ berth in the third round of the Caf Confederations Cup — scoring on the stroke of halftime against Zambian side Green Buffaloes in a second round, second leg match at Barbourfields yesterday.
The two teams were tied 1-1 at the start, with Malajila having netted the crucial away goal two weeks ago in Zambia.
Highlanders proceed to the next round 2-1 on aggregate.
Their opponents could be either El Merreikh of Sudan or Rayon Sports of Rwanda, who were due to play their match yesterday.
It is likely that Highlanders will travel to Sudan as El Merreikh lead 3-0 from the first leg, although African football is highly unpredictable.
Highlanders missed the services of Eric Mudzingwa through injury and brought in Marshall Machazane, whose performance must have been the worst of his career and he was duly substituted at halftime.
But it was an otherwise strong line up and they failed to produce good attacking football, preferring to let their opponents come at them.
There was nothing romantic about the match.
It was physical with 28 fouls, but there is no ugly win.
Highlanders had their first opportunity in the third minute, winning a free kick on the edge of the box but without specialist Johannes Ngodzo on the field of play, his brother Zephaniah blasted against the wall.
At the other end, three minutes later, the visitors’ captain Newa Mwewa tested Highlanders goalkeeper Washington Arubi with a low but weak shot.
Then Sebastian Mwansa turned between Richard Choruma and Machazane but wasted that chance again.
On the quarter of an hour, the visitors’ Rueben Tembo hit the side netting and had Highlanders technical manager Methembe Ndlovu up on his feet and he pulled Choruma into the centre, seeing that the visitors were turning on the pressure.
That turned the tide in his team’s favour — at least for a while.
In the 24th minute, Douglas Zimbago was fed by Wellington Sibanda and broke free on the right and unleashed a shot on the run that goalkeeper Dave Kaumbwa spectacularly saved.
Buffaloes had their first corner in the 28th minute that exposed the Highlanders defence as Mwewa was allowed a free header that sailed over the bar.
The visitors probed again three minutes later forcing Arubi to punch away a dangerous looking ball.
Malajila could have opened the scoreline from that move as Arubi’s ball fell to Sibanda who fed the former Chapungu man but he shot agonisingly wide with the keeper off his line.
In the 37th minute, Malajila benefited from a Ngodzo set up but shot wide with the keeper again off his line.
Buffaloes could have stunned the estimated 15 000 Highlanders faithful when the backline stood still as a loose ball trickled in but Tembo failed to make them pay.
And then Highlanders took the lead.
It was a goal out of nothing but one that took the stuffing out of the visitors as they struggled to recover.
Highlanders won a free kick inside the Buffaloes half in first half injury time and the out of sorts Machazane played a short one to Anzilom Ndlovu.
Ndlovu then flighted a long ball into the danger zone and with the goal to his back, Malajila rose high and flicked over the outdrawn goalkeeper Davy Kaumbwa.
Efforts by defender Lawrence Phiri to clear from the line failed and he only managed to hit the roof of his own goal.
Buffaloes coach George Lwandamina believes his defender had done enough to clear the ball and that was no goal at all.
But referee Paul Phomane of Lesotho let it stand.
The hosts had early opportunities in the opening 10 minutes of the second half but Zimbago and substitute Jacob Muzokomba, who came in for Machazane in the 46th minute, fluffed the chances.
In the 56th minute, Sebastian Mwansa broke free on the right but was a shade too slow in his delivery and Ngodzo closed him down on the edge of the box.
The visitors then made a double substitution on the hour bringing in Morgan Hanjeme and Dears Kakonta in a bid to get that elusive equaliser.
But it could have been 2-0 at the other end two minutes later as Buffaloes opened up at the back.
In the best move of the afternoon by Highlanders, Choruma found Zimbago on the left and the former Masvingo man turned the ball to Malajila.
Malajila returned the ball to Muzokomba, but the final shot was not as good as the build-up.
Highlanders recorded their first corner in the 64th minute but Makuvise headed over, while Sibanda’s free kick two minutes later did not trouble the visitors goalkeeper at all, taken weakly and meant to curve.
Buffaloes substitute Morgan Hanjema tore the Bosso defence apart with a defence-splitting pass but Arubi blocked the initial shot from John Musukwa and Stephen Alimenda scrambled the ball for a corner.
There was a moment of dead silence when Hanjema outpaced Banda after a long ball was pumped in, but his left footer whisked across the face of goal in the 77th minute and there was a sigh of relief across.
Muzokomba could have calmed their nerves eight minutes from time but he shot just over the bar after Buffaloes keeper Kaumbwa had made a half clearance, in what could have been a spectacular goal.
Teams
Highlanders: W Arubi, G Banda, P Makuvise, Z Ngodzo, A Ndlovu, S Alumenda, M Machazane (J Muzokomba 46th min), W Sibanda, D Zimbago, R Choruma, C Malajila
Green Buffaloes: D Kaumbwa, N Mwewa (M Hanjeme 60th min), D Banda, S Limbe, L Phiri, D Zulu, M Chishimba (O Kalamba 75th min), S Mwela, S Mwansa (D Kakonta 60th min), R Tembo, J Musukwa (The Herald)
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