adminMUTARE army side Buffaloes took their winning streak to five matches in a row when they hammered fellow military outfit Black Rhinos in an exciting Castle Lager Premiership match at Sakubva yesterday.
The result left the home side, who have the best record in the past five league games in the entire Premiership, in third position on the log table with just a solitary point behind joint log leaders FC Platinum and Highlanders.
With impressive Buffaloes’ midfielder Wonder Sithole laying some defence splitting and accurate passes for the strikeforce in yesterday’s encounter, the home team showed their attacking intent from the onset.
Their first real scoring chance came 12 minutes into the match when Warriors trialist Prosper “Zhake” Matizanadzo had a neat exchange of passes with Roy “Apama” Mwenga and the later laid the ball into Tawanda Mareya’s path.
Rhinos goalkeeper Samuel Mafukidze reacted swiftly to save the situation for his team.
However, Watungwa Watungwa, as Buffaloes are affectionately known in the eastern border city, opened the floodgates in the 41st minute when Mwenga did all the dirty work, dribbling past a cluster of napping Rhinos defenders and later swinging in a pass for Jacob Muzokomba who then knocked in from close range.
Soon after the break, the home team was on the backfoot and the withdrawal of the injured Wonder Sithole affected Buffaloes rhythm as Chauya Chipembere slowly but surely crept back into the game.
The visitors then restored parity in the 63rd minute when Trust Machacha headed home a fine cross from Lot Chiwunga.
In the 84th minute, Matizanadzo headed back across the goal off Shepherd Nkata’s corner kick and Dzumbunu made no mistake as he connected to score the home team’s second goal.
Muzokomba then completed a brace two minutes later when he scored a beauty.
The tie began to feel increasingly like an exhibition match in time added on when Rhinos defenders paid dearly for a needless off side trap that left an unmarked Buffaloes striker Stephen “Dealer” Sibanda with only the ‘keeper to beat.
Sibanda finished with aplomb.
Buffaloes assistant coach, Timothy “Sicho” Masachi, commended his players for playing to instructions.
“I am happy that our players managed to stick to our game plan and the results came. We are looking forward to the next match with confidence and hope that we will produce a similar result,” he said.
Rhinos coach, Nesbert “Yabo” Saruchera, blamed his team’s loss on a number of missed opportunities and poor defending.
“We played well as a team and we only paid dearly for not taking our chances. We also defended poorly hence the heavy defeat,” he said.
Teams:
Buffaloes: C Tandadzai; S Nkata; F Banda; T Ndlovu; P Chandisaita; P Matizanadzo; R Mwenga (M Mageja 76th minute); T Mareya (E Dzumbu 76th minute); W Sithole (A Dzumbunu 46th minute); J Muzokomba; S Sibanda:
Black Rhinos: S Mafukidze; J Mukombwe; W Chakanyuka; B Homora; B Chandisaita; M Mudehwe (L Muhoni 46th minute); M Mine; T Torovaseyi; L Chiwunga; T Machacha (B Muzondiwa 85th minute):
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