Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS breathed new life into their survival campaign yesterday, edging Bikita Minerals 2-1 at Gibbo in Hendrikus Pieter de Jongh’s first game in charge.
The Dutchman, who led Bosso to the 2019 Chibuku Super Cup, watched his side deliver with the kind of discipline and character he promised would define their fight.
Nigerian striker Benjamin Oluwarothim announced himself with a coolly taken penalty on debut, be-fore Reason Sibanda added a second just before half-time.
Bikita’s Royn Nyamono struck late, but Highlanders held firm.
The victory pushed Bosso to ninth place on 32 points, just above the relegation logjam, where a single result can swing fortunes.
Bikita Minerals, meanwhile, were left to rue missed chances. Without midfielder Spencer Mugariri to steady their play, they struggled to impose their usual possession game.
Forced into hurried long balls, they created openings through Tinaye Tsimba, Tadiwanashe Murasiranwa, and Fitzgerald Banda, but none could finish.
Coach Wilson Mutekede admitted his side had let themselves down.
“We conceded soft goals and missed clear chances. It’s back to the drawing board ahead of TelOne tie,” Mutekede said.
For Highlanders, the win felt like a turning point. “Every game is a final now, but this was a good response from the players,” said De Jongh.
It was also a day when Zimbabwe’s traditional giants finally moved in unison. Dynamos kept their revival alive with a 2-0 win over Green Fuel, closing to within three points of safety on 25. CAPS United stunned FC Platinum 1-0 to climb to 31, joining the cluster of sides desperately trying to hold ground.
With eight matches left, the minimum safety line remains at 40 points. The fight is congested: Triangle, CAPS, Yadah, and Chicken Inn hover on the same bracket, while GreenFuel, Manica Diamonds and Dynamos sit just beneath.
For the Premier Soccer League, the weekend results meant more than just three points. They kept alive the possibility of all three giants surviving the drop.