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Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
Bulawayo City 0–1 Herentals
HERENTALS owner Innocent Benza provided an assist for his son Tinotenda to score the goal that earned the Students three points as they piled more misery on Bulawayo City, who sank deeper into the relegation.
The visitors took a quick throw-in and the older Benza heeled the ball to his son, who beat an advancing Munyaradzi Diya in goals for City in the 68th minute of yesterday’s Castle Lager Premiership match at Barbourfields Stadium.
Tinotenda, who came in as a second half substitute, caught the City rearguard napping as they were still setting up their lines in anticipation of the throw-in and Diya could do nothing, but watch the ball roll into the net.
Herentals had the luxury of missing a penalty, but still managed to collect maximum points.
Referee Artwell Mazire pointed to the spot in the 31st minute when City defender Benson Phiri went down together with Herentals’ Blessing Maunganidze inside the box, as the visitors were on the attack, although it looked like there was no contact.
As if to deliver poetic justice, Diya dived to his right to punch the spot kick taken by Carlos Mavhurume back into play, but Herentals failed to attack the loose ball.
City had several chances during the tepid match, particularly in the first half, with Ozias Zibande missing a glorious chance when he hit the crossbar in the 12th minute after he had exchanged passes with Nhlanhla Ndlovu in their first attack of the game.
Eight minutes later, Phiri was gifted a free header inside the box off a Humphrey Ncube cross but his effort went over the bar.
Majarira could have opened Herentals’ account in the 30th minute when he made his way past the City defence and released a shot on the edge of the box, but the ball went inches past the upright with Diya beaten.
The loss makes it three in a row since Bekithemba “Super” Ndlovu took over from Amini Soma-Phiri as head coach and leaves City rooted second from the bottom of the PSL table tied on 15 points with anchors Shabanie Mine.
Ndlovu, however, expressed optimism saying his charges played well but were let down by failure to find the target.
He feels they need to refine their accuracy upfront while ensuring they don’t concede.
“I am disappointed by the result, we are not in a good position on the log and we should not be giving points away, particularly at home. Dropping points is certainly not good for our cause,” said Ndlovu.
“The performance was good, we gave it our all and created numerous chances, but we were unfortunate not to find the back of the net and we relaxed when they took that throw-in and they went for the kill when the defenders thought the opponents would play around with the ball. With more accuracy upfront, I think we can get it right,” he said.
City face Triangle away at Gibbo Stadium and then host Dynamos and they have to win both matches if they want to remain in the topflight league.
Herentals coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziwa was enthralled with the win but said he was disappointed with the performance.
“It was a difficult game for us because we did not play to the best of our ability and I think we only managed to create three chances.
“At the end of the day all that matters is the three points, so I am happy we got them,” Mutiwekuziwa said.
Online Reporter