adminRay Bande in Mutare
Buffaloes 2-1 ZPC Kariba
MUTARE outfit Buffaloes remain hanging by a thread as they fight for dear life in this riveting Castle Lager Premiership relegation dogfight after securing a crucial win over ZPC Kariba at Sakubva yesterday.
Although they won yesterday’s match, their rivals in the battle to evade the chop Tsholotsho settled for a draw thus Buffaloes still occupy the last relegation spot and are now a point in the red with two matches to go before the season ends.
Their coach Saul Chaminuka, who was barking instructions from the touchline after surving a car accident, remains bullish of his chances of escaping relegation.
“I think it is still game on. There are two games to go and football being what it is, you can never rule us out. Like I have said before, we are used to being in this situation.
“This isn’t the first time that Buffaloes is looking forward to survive relegation on the last day of the season. We have done it before and I don’t see why we can fail to do it again.
“Yes, it is not going to be a stroll in the park but I think my team has the pedigree to achieve the set target of escaping relegation,’ said Chaminuka.
With a little more precision in front of goal, the Mutare soldiers could have scored more goals in the first half in which they were dominating possession and in total control of the match.
The home team took the lead in the 13th minute when gangling Prosper Matizanadzo employed his height to head home a beauty that nestled in the far right corner of the net off teammate Phillip Chandisaita’s cross.
Jacob Muzokomba then doubled the home team’s lead in the 25th minute with a powerful long range hard and low shot that meandered past a cluster of ZPC Kariba defenders before it fooled Tendai Hove, in goals for the visitors.
However, ZPC Kariba pulled one back in the 63rd minute when the evergreen Raphael Manuvire intelligently connected Limited Chikafa’s cross.
Then on the visitors started pilling pressure on their opponents but somehow the equaliser remained elusive until the final whistle.
ZPC Kariba gaffer Sunday Chidzambwa said they lost the encounter in the first half.
“I think we lost it in the first half. They got the chances when they were in control of the game in the first half and made the most of those chances.
“We were now in control of things in the second half but somehow we failed to utilise the chances that we created,” said Chidzambwa.
Teams:
Buffaloes: B Mwandimutsira; P Chandisaita; S Nyauzima; K Chigwida; K Mwaramba; S Nkata (B Mushunje 80th minute); T Jefrey; L Katongomara (F Banda 48th minute)); J Muzokomba; R Mwenga; P Matizanadzo:
ZPC Kariba: T Hove; D Dauda; B Mutukure; S Appiah; T Magorimbo (T Magorimbo 80th minute); T Munyanduri; T Rantokoane (T Nyamandwe 46th minute); P Makanje; P Tafirenyika; R Manuvire; L Chikafa:
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