Highlanders FC (2) 2
Bulawayo Chiefs (2) 2
(Bosso won 6-5 on penalties)
THE 2023 Chibuku Super Cup will have a new winner after holders, Bulawayo Chiefs were knocked out of the first round via sudden death in a penalty shootout in a fiery derby at Barbourfields.
Bulawayo Chiefs played the last 30 minutes of the second half down to 10 men following a red card and managed to contain Highlanders, forcing a penalty shoot out.
It was sweet revenge for Highlanders, who were eliminated in the first round in last year’s tournament.
In the penalty shootout, Bosso scored through goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda who sunk his effort to the bottom corner to the goalkeepers right with Billy Veremu equalising.
Brighton Manhire made it 2-1 for Highlanders with Mthokozisi Msebe making it 2-2.
Mbeba took Bosso’s third and’goalkeeper Khulekani Dube read his intentions well diving to the right to give his side the initiative.
Felix Moyo made it 3-2 like his teammates buried it to the right of Sibanda who went the opposite direction.
Mushore made it 3-3 and upstepped Mandlenkosi Gasela whose effort produced a clean catch to send the Bosso faithfuls off their seats in celebration.
Muduwa made it 4-3 with a beauty leaving Phiri with the hardest assignment of levelling matters with Highlanders fans highly expectant in song.
His rising bullet over a diving Sibanda left matters at 4-4.
Stanley Ngala had Dube touching his effort into the roof of the net at 5-4 and Ncube beat Sibanda for the equaliser.
Mbongeni Ndlovu took penalty number 11 and scored with Dube having his fingers to it.
Sibanda saved penalty number 12, stopping Panashe Shoko’s effort.
In regulation time, Bulawayo Chiefs opened the scoring with a beauty in the 13th minute. A curling freekick from about 25m by Danny Phiri beat Ariel Sibanda whose view of the ball appeared to be on the same direction with the sun. Sibanda had the ball hitting his finger tips helping the ball cross the line after it hit the horizontal bar from Phiri’s boot.
Bosso who appeared to have the better hunger for glory equalised in the 16th minute through Lynnoth Chikukwa.
A freekick taken by Mbeba after Kim Joe had felled Farasi wide on the right about 12m near the centreline Mackinon Mushore scored from inside the box slicing ball past an advancing Issa Ali after being set up by Farasi from the box following an exchange of passes on the right flank.
Highlanders came close in the 22nd minute when Archford Faira sent in an inviting cross that was headed wide by a diving Washington Navaya inside the 12 yard box with the Chiefs defence beaten.
Ayanda Ncube dribbled past Farasi and Muduhwa and chipped ball on the right and Farawu Matare beat Sibanda in goal for Bosso on the near post.
Navaya was poor with his final touch in the 48th minute after coming to the end of a sweeping move involving Melikhaya Ncube and Mushore shooting straight at advancing Ali who made a clean catch.
In the 59th minute Joe received marching orders for a second bookable offence for pulling down Mushore as he charged towards goal after a determined run on the left flank.
Mhindirira blazed over the bar a blistering effort after Chiefs had failed to clear a corner kick in the 80th minute.
Teams
Highlanders FC
A Sibanda, L Chikukwa (S Ngala 80th minute), M Mushore, B Manhire, A Mbeba, E Farasi, P Muduhwa, A Farasi (D Mhindirira 61st minute), M Ndlovu, W Navaya (P Chigenero 61st minute), M Ncube (D Munkuli 80th minute)
Bulawayo Chiefs FC
I Ali (K Dube 90 + 3 minutes), K Joe, M Msebe, A Ncube, O Chirinda (P Shoko 90th minute), M Mkolo, D Phiri, S Chimanikire, M Gasela, F Moyo, F Matare (B Veremu 90 + 2 minutes)
Referees
T Bamala, B Sibanda, M Ncube