PRAISE singing of the performance of Highlanders’
youthful side hit a discord note on Sunday, with fans
in the terraces questioning the continued inclusion of
some senior players they feel are misfits and will
ruin Bosso’s ECD project.

Following the disappointing 1-2 loss to ZPC Kariba in
a Castle Lager Premiership match at Barbourfields
Stadium, disappointed Bosso fans that attended the
game demanded that coach Madinda Ndlovu return
to his initial plan of using only youngsters in the
club’s rebuilding exercise.
They felt senior players meant to guide the
youngsters are instead letting down the project with
their below par performances and weekly blunders in
Bosso matches.

Skipper and left-back Honest Moyo is slow and
opposing teams tend to target his wing where they
easily beat him for pace.

Centre-back Peter Muduhwa blows hot and cold, but
what worries fans the most is constant
communication failure between him and goalkeeper
Ariel Sibanda.

So bad is the absence of communication that each
time the ball is flighted into the Bosso box,
possibilities of goals are always high due to the
melees that ensue.
The rebuilding Bulawayo giants have so far lost eight
points from games they could have either won or
drawn because of blunders by senior players, with
keeper Sibanda being the main culprit.
Bosso are third on the league table with 20 points
from 10 games and trail leaders Ngezi Platinum
Stars by six points.

In Week Six, Highlanders surrendered a 2-1 lead to
draw 2-2 against Chicken Inn after Simon Munawa
capitalised on a mix up between Sibanda and his
defender Charlton Siamalonga.

Bosso then suffered their first defeat of the season
0-1 to pacesetters Ngezi Platinum Stars in Week
Eight. Again, Sibanda committed the cardinal
goalkeeping sin of being beaten at the near post due
to his indecision.

With the match seemingly headed for a draw on
Sunday, Bosso pushed everyone into the ZPC Kariba
box for a corner kick and Sibanda positioned himself
in the centre circle in the second minute of the
referee’s optional time.

When ZPC Kariba cleared their lines, the ball fell to
substitute Tawanda Nyamandwe, who made a short
run, aimed at goal and scored, with Sibanda
stranded.

Both Highlanders’ coach Ndlovu and ZPC Kariba
gaffer Godfrey Tamirepi pointed out that the game’s
turning point was Sibanda’s howler.
Ndlovu was clearly unhappy with the way Sibanda
kept goal.

“We hoped that the boys would at least salvage a
point, but they were punished for a blunder by a
senior player, the goalkeeper, who made that
schoolboy mistake,” Ndlovu said.

It looks like lack of competition has made Sibanda
complacent and Highlanders’ goalkeepers’ trainer
Tembo Chuma will certainly be furious with the way
Sibanda has been conceding goals.
Sibanda has conceded seven goals in 10 games.

However, he seems to have gotten into a comfort
zone and needs to work hard, keep his guard up if
he is to play a significant role in Highlanders’
rebuilding exercise.

Bosso have two young goalkeepers, Prosper Matutu
and Nedrick Madeya, who both lack experience, and
one of them could be thrown into the fray if
Sibanda’s untidy goalkeeping continues.

Right-back McClive Phiri has just about been the
only consistent performer both defensively and
offensively, alongside midfielder Nigel Makumbe and
speedy winger Gabriel Nyoni whenever they’re fit.

Nyoni gives the Bosso frontline some venom, but he
is rather prone to injury. Brian Banda also gives the
side some options, but he too lacks consistency to
become the team’s engine room.

Coach Ndlovu introduced 18-year-old centre-back
Andrew Mbeba against Mutare City Rovers in the
absence of Muduhwa and the youngster stepped up
to the plate. One wonders why the coach didn’t give
the youngster another run against a ZPC Kariba side
that didn’t match Mutare City in terms of quality and
creativity.

Bosso fans want to watch the likes of young central
midfielder Brian Jaravaza and left-back Mbongeni
Ndlovu, so that they develop instead of continuing
with old horses that continuously let down the highly
determined youngsters.

These youngsters have shown that given more
game time, they can establish themselves at Bosso
compared to the senior players that have been
suspect for a number of seasons.

Sentiments from the terraces showed that Bosso
fans would rather watch their youngsters losing
without senior players denting the team’s rebuilding
project- Chronicle