tawandamusarurwa
Sports Reporter
Manica Diamonds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League April player of the month Fortune Binzi just cannot seem to stop scoring — at least for now.
The Manica Diamonds striker struck a brace at Gibbo Stadium yesterday as the Gem Boys put Chicken Inn to the sword and condemned the visitors to their first defeat of the season.
Binzi, who is now on eight goals after Match Day Nine, is set to break his set target of double figures.
He will be looking to add to his tally when Manica Diamonds visit Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium next weekend.
He struck in the 88th minute and deep into time added on.
“I want to thank my teammates for helping me to achieve my goals.
“I am happy to score. As a striker, it’s my job to get goals for the team, but I will be happy if I help the team to do well, even if I don’t score.
“I am not worried about individual targets as I play for the team, and (I am) willing to contribute towards our collective goal,” said Binzi.
The hosts came into the game looking to collect maximum points following a spirited draw against champions FC Platinum, in which they had to come from behind twice to force a 2-2 deadlock.
The Gamecocks survived an early scare, with Talent Chamboko failing to punish the visitors following a one-on-one situation with Donovan Bernard just after three minutes.
Chicken Inn had a chance of their own seven minutes later but Clive Augusto was slow to react to Xolani Ndlovu’s pass.
Binzi should have found the target in the 20th minute but his well-taken effort was saved by Bernard.
Chicken Inn were threatening in the final moments of the first half.
Genius Mutungamiri saw his attempt punched back into play by Tedious Baye.
The second half was evenly balanced and the match appeared poised for a draw.
That was before Binzi’s moment of magic.
Brian Chikwenya, who came on for Pasca Manhanga, made an instant impact as he supplied endless deliveries in the box for Binzi.
However, it was a Chamboko’s in-swinger that Binzi headed home.
Last season’s Soccer Star of the Year finalist Brian Muza was introduced for Mutungamiri late in the second half and showed flashes of brilliance.
His glancing header drew the best of Baye’s reflexes after the host’s goalkeeper had initially fumbled the effort on the cusp of full-time.
A combination of mistakes from Donovan and his defenders gifted Manica with the second goal, as Binzi capitalised to send the miners on top of the log standings — at least overnight — with 15 points.
Manica Diamonds coach Jairos Tapera was happy with the result and felt that “it was a tough match against an experienced Chicken Inn side”.
“We are coming from a difficult match against champions FC Platinum, where we managed to get a point, and today was obviously going to be difficult, but I am happy we managed to keep a clean sheet,” he said.
“We made tactical substitutions in the second half and our decisions paid off again.
“It’s a welcome result.
“Three points at home, two goals for red-hot striker Binzi, who is always at the end of some good exchanges from the team, is clear evidence of hard work by the entire team, and we hope we continue like this in our coming fixtures.”
Gamecocks coach Prince Matore blamed his defenders for giving away two cheap goals, which he felt were avoidable.
Online Reporter