Highlanders booked a place to the next round of the Chibuku Super Cup in style – edging perennial rivals Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
Prince Dube who has now scored four goals in three matches for the club and his country within a space of seven days scored the only goal of the afternoon to propel Bosso to a famous victory against rivals Dynamos.
Dube scored in the 29th minute after outwitting a Dynamos defender for a long ball, before taking few deceiving touches that brought goalkeeper Simbarashe Chinani off his area and calmly slotting the ball in.
Although Highlanders could not play their trademark passing game due to the sorry state of the Rufaro stadium pitch, Bosso managed to contain Dynamos who rely on long balls.
Dube made his intentions to punish the Harare giants known as early as in the first minutes where he was brought down on his way to the Dynamos box and got up to take the free-kick himself.
He however, watched his well taken free-kick dealt with by Chinani.
Failing to break the Highlanders defence that was well led by ever green Peter Muduhwa, Dynamos forwards Godknows Murwira and Tawanda Macheke tried their luck from afar in the 10th and the 12th minute respectively, but could not trouble goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda who has kept an impressive 12 clean sheets for the club in all competitions.
After Dube’s 29th minute strike, Dynamos tried to come back into the game moments later through Macheke who was released by Ngandu Mangala, but didn’t get the goal as the alert Sibanda reacted quickly to deny the striker.
Tinashe Makanda could have doubled Highlanders advantage in the dying minutes of the first half as he found himself at the end of a well ocherstrated move involving Dube, MacClive Phiri and Devine Mhindirira, but hit the side net with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Highlanders came back stronger again in the second half and created some good chances that could have extended the lead.
Tinashe Makanda could have doubled the lead when he was set by Dube just outside the box, only to watch his well struck full volley crush against the crossbar in the 55th minute.
Bosso also fluffed a golden chance in the 78th minute when substitute Peter Nyirenda who was released by Dube following a quick counter-attack, watched his effort go wide.
Dembare, on the other end, continued to search for an equaliser and force the game to a dreaded penalty shootout, but found it difficult to penetrate the well organised Bosso defence.
The new Bosso Technical Manager Hendrikus Pieter de Jongh was not impressed by the state of the pitch, but said the victory was important for the entire Highlanders family.