Online Reporter
Ray Bande, Zimpapers Sports Hub
BIKITA Minerals eased their relegation worries with a convincing 3-0 win over Herentals at Sakubva Stadium yesterday, led by a commanding display from Keith Mathe.
Even after going down to ten men in the 58th minute when Chelsea Nyakope was shown a second yellow card, Bikita’s determination never wavered. The lithium miners showed the hunger of a team fighting for survival, pressing high, defending in numbers and attacking with conviction.
Mathe, whose composure and skill seemed far too polished for a side battling at the bottom, was at the heart of everything Bikita did right. His presence lifted the hosts, who for the first time this season scored three goals in a single match.
Both teams began cautiously and wasted good chances early on. In the 11th minute, midfielder Tinashe Ruzive missed a golden opportunity to put Bikita ahead when, through on goal, he shot straight at Herentals goalkeeper Tinotendaishe Takarinda. Ten minutes later, Herentals midfielder Tinashe Mazambani watched his effort flash across the face of goal, leaving the crowd gasping at what should have been a simple tap in.
Bikita finally broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Spence Mugariri pounced on a loose ball in the box and drilled a low shot past a sprawling Takarinda to send the home fans into celebration.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the 55th minute when Ruzive made amends for his earlier miss, finishing from close range after a neat build up. With fifteen minutes remaining, Tinaye Tsimba sealed the victory, tapping in from a goalmouth scramble to make it 3-0.
After the final whistle, coach Wilson Mutekede was visibly relieved.
“I think this was a well deserved result. We played well and I’m happy with the performance. It leaves us under less pressure as we fight to avoid relegation. We’ll take the positives and try to replicate this in the remaining matches so we can stay in the top flight next season,” said Mutekede.
Herentals coach Celestino Benza, however, was disappointed by his team’s display.
“This was unacceptable, to say the least. We just weren’t applying ourselves well. Yes, we had our moments but failed to convert. You can’t compete in football when you’re not scoring goals,” said Benza. “We’ll regroup, fix our mistakes, and try to bounce back in the next fixtures.”
