• Dynamos look to past for inspiration • Goal shy Highlanders strikers on the spot • Dynamos, Highlanders meet in Charity Shield • 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures • Dynamos draw CAPS in season opener • Highlanders parade new signings • Zifa extends transfer window to February 29 • Majabvi on trials at SA club • Highlanders unveil 5 new players • Majabvi, Murape and Sadomba get new deals • Highlanders call press conference to unveil Khumalo • Orlando Pirates chase Highlanders goalie • Free State Stars sign CAPS FC's Nkatha • MTL Wanderers say Gumbo's job safe • Khumalo set for new Highlanders role • Murape Murape wins Soccer Star of the Year award • Rhinos, Hwange and Mwana Africa relegated • Relegation battle goes to the wire • Dynamos clinch league and cup double • 2007 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

By Nkanyiso Moyo


HIGHLANDERS...1
DYNAMOS..........1

DEBUTANT Lazarus Muhoni struck at the death as Dynamos held Highlanders to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Charity Shield at Barbourfields on Sunday – a precursor to the start of the Premier League season.

Wellington Sibanda had given Highlanders the advantage from a free-kick two minutes after the hour in this dreary affair which was thin on goal scoring chances for either team.

Highlanders, perhaps, would be the happier of the two teams having lost twice to Dynamos at the same venue in the CBZ Cup final and the league last season.

Highlanders started with veteran left wing attacker Gift Lunga and their newboys Stephen Alumenda, Herbert Dick, Jacob Muzokomba and later introduced Irvine Tinarwo and Protasha Kabwe for Guide Goddard and Marshall Machazane.

Dynamos paraded the scorer Muhoni, the returning pair of Thomas Sweswe and Mtshumayeli Moyo and former Mwana Africa winger Benjamin Marere and Brighton Tuwaya.

The chances were few and far between, the first falling to Dynamos after 17 minutes when Majabvi’s goalbound shot was blocked.

Two minutes later, Sebastain Mutizirwa fed Marere on the right and the former Mwana Africa player tried an intelligent chip that was palmed over the bar by goalkeeper Washington Arubi.

The game went to sleep for the following 10 minutes until Machazane blasted wide with Douglas Zimbago and Ngodzo both in acres of space either side of him.

Dynamos’ best chance fell on the half-hour when new skipper Murape Murape broke through the Highlanders defence, but held his head in disbelief when his short came off the upright with Arubi a beaten man.

Highlanders raced into the lead on 62 minutes with a beautifully curled freekick following a foul on Gift Lunga by Brighton Tuwaya. The shot taken from just outside the box deceived Dynamos goalkeeper Willard Manyatera before nestling in the net.

With Highlanders looking on course to register a rare win over their bitter rivals, Dynamos broke with deadly intent on 82 minutes. Marere dispossessed Ngodzo on the byline and his precisely delivered low cross found Muhoni who turned and beat Arubi to silence the home crowd.

Highlanders technical manager Methembe Ndlovu was slightly over liberal in his appraisal of the game – a most boring affair between the giants of Zimbabwean football.

He said: “We had a good game but we went to sleep at the last minute and paid the price.

“You do not need that when you are playing in a two legged competition, there tends to be pressure when you are playing away in the return match. But for now, the focus is no longer in this match, but the next game against Ferroviario in the Confederations Cup.”

His Dynamos counterpart David Mandogora was content with a draw.

He said: “We will be starting all over when we meet in the next match. There were a few mistakes here which we need to work on and hopefully we will be ready for the return match.

“We came here looking for a win, but you have to be content with all the results that you get as long as you do now lose.”

Teams
Highlanders-W Arubi, G Banda, H Dick, G Goddard (P Kabwe 46th min), M Machazane (W Sibanda 46th min), Z Ngodzo, S Alumenda, G Lunga, E Mudzingwa, D Zimbago (I Tinarwo 86th min)

Dynamos-W Manyatera, B Tuwaya, A Dzukamanja (D Shoko 90th min), S Mutizirwa (L Muhoni 71st min), B Marere, J Majabvi, S Mutenheri, L Mapuya, D Maringwa (M Moyo 65th min), T Sweswe, M Murape
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