Nyakope Late Winner Gives TelOne First Home Victory Against Highlanders

Gweru - Chelsea Nyakope delivered a moment of ecstasy for TelOne FC supporters on Saturday, striking home an 88th-minute winner that ended the WiFi Boys’ long wait for a home victory this Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

The clinical strike handed TelOne a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Highlanders at Ascot Stadium, their first home win of the 2026 campaign and only their second league success overall.

The goal was worth its weight with tension mounting as the game entered its dying minutes.

The winner came after Highlanders attempted to clear a dangerous ball just outside their penalty area but the clearance fumbled off a defender and found by Nyakope who took a right-footed shot into the top right corner of the net.

Highlanders keeper, Aron Ngwenya failed to stop the shot as the ball flew past him, sending the home faithfuls into delirium.

A visibly elated Nyakope, who was deservedly named Man of the Match, dedicated the winner to the coaching staff who had backed the team through a difficult spell.

“I am very happy. This is a goal that won our first match at home and our second victory. I am very happy,” he said shortly after the final whistle.

The result could hardly have been more significant for Saul Chaminuka’s charges.

TelOne had gone into the Matchday 16 fixture without a win from eight previous home league outings at Ascot this season, a run that had piled pressure on both players and technical team, which led to the dismisal of Chaminuka's prediscessor, Herbert Maruwa.

Saturday’s victory changes the narrative dramatically, with a new kit sponsorship by Fidelity Madical Aid Society (FLIMAS) partly injecting fresh belief into a squad that had been hovering uncomfortably at the lower reaches of the log standings.

TelOne goalkeeper Criss Mverechena also produced several crucial saves to keep his side in the contest, while defender Bruno Mtigo came to the team's rescue in the 63rd minute with a vital goal-line clearance that denied Highlanders a goal.

Highlanders created promising chances but failed to find the clinical edge.

Brighton Ncube unleashed a powerful long-range effort as early as the ninth minute, but his shot drifted just wide of the target.

Highlanders, backed by their vocal travelling support, came into the match as favourites, boasting greater attacking firepower and pedigree.

TelOne however produced a disciplined, well-organised performance that frustrated the Bulawayo giants for long periods.

The first half was cagey and low on goalmouth action. Highlanders enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and tried to unlock the home defence with intricate midfield play and wide overlaps.

The fisrt half ended with both teams on a stalemate, nill all.

The second half saw a noticeable shift in intensity. As Highlanders pushed forward in search of a decisive breakthrough while TelOne grew in confidence, threatening on swift attacks.

Highlanders' Benjamin Odeogun also came close to breaking the deadlock in the 70th minute, striking at goal, only for his effort to flash narrowly wide.

The game became stretched, and with fatigue creeping in, the decisive moment felt inevitable.

That moment seperating the two sides finally arrived just two minutes before full time.

Speaking after the match, an ecstatic TelOne coach, Saul Chaminuka, said discipline won the day, and his boys deserved it.

“I am feeling ecstatic, I don't know what to say, this is the first win since the beginning of the season here at home.

"For it coming when you are playing a big team like Highlanders you can just imagine. I feel how everybody else feels, all TelOne stakeholders are flying high," he said.

"Yes we haven't been winning not because we were playing bad football. Today we won because we were more disciplined in terms of what Highlanders were throwing at us. My boys really deserve it," Chaminuka said.

Highlanders coach Benjani Mwaruwaru reflected on a frustrating afternoon that failed to produce goals against a limping side.

“We came here knowing very well that they are wounded lions. You know when you approach a team that hasn't been winning, it's a difficult match.

"We had a lot of chances we could have converted and won this game, sometimes you create a lot of chances and you don't convert, that's what happens," he said.

"They got one chance, a very good goal they scored. I think it's a very big lesson when coming to teams like this, you need to give maximum effort," Mwaruwaru said.

He said despite dominating play in the first half, they were not aggressive enough and the tempo was very slow going forward.

In the second half he said they improved and had better chances to score, but could not convert.