Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Scottland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Simba Bhora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
SIMBA Bhora had the last laugh at the end of the 90 minutes.
The 2024 champions staged a second-half smash-and-grab to hand champions Scottland their first defeat this season in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Rufaro yesterday.
Fullback Nomore Tsabora provided the x-factor with two brilliant crosses that were turned in by Namibian McCarthy Naweseb and Harrison Masina.
Khama Billiat had given Scottland the lead, with his sixth goal of the season after just 10 minutes.
But a fiery second-half performance by the visitors turned the script around in this exciting encounter.
Scottland had not lost a match in the opening nine fixtures of the season.
The defeat was a significant blow as they failed to capitalise on the slip-up by log leaders CAPS United the previous day and close the gap at the top.
Mabviravira coach Norman Mapeza always had it at the back of his mind that their run would not last forever.
“Look, these things do happen in the game of football. As a coach, I knew such a day would come.
“But what is important is when we fall down, how we are going to get up,” said Mapeza.
Scottland enjoyed the upper hand, especially in the first half, with their experienced players Knowledge Musona, Billiat, Walter Musona and industrious midfielder Kingsley Mureremba dictating the pace.
But they failed to kill the game early despite getting numerous opportunities to do so.
Billiat put Scottland in front from a rebound after Mureremba had bulldozed his way through the middle, with about 10 minutes played. Billiat pounced before Simba Bhora defenders could react after goalkeeper William Thole did well to block Mureremba’s low shot with an outstretched leg.
But Simba Bhora did not take the blows lying down. The only mistake that they commited was to give Scottland too much respect in those early minutes. Their midfielder Blessed Ndereki volley just went wide after 18 minutes following a flowing move from the midfield.
But Scottland still had the game under firm control.
Billiat almost added a second with a spectacular long-range effort from his own half after spotting goalkeeper Thole off his line.
The back pedalling goalkeeper could not keep pace with the ball and should have sighed relief after the ball trickled just wide of the upright. Then Walter Musona also took his turn to miss after he was released on the right flank, only to shoot wild and high with the goalkeeper at his mercy.
“Coming into the game, look at our first-half performance. I think in the first 20 or so minutes, we were in control of everything,” Mapeza admitted.
“We had two good opportunities besides the goal we scored, and I think those two opportunities which we missed in the first half sums up everything . . .
“In the second half, or even after we scored that goal, they came very strong at us. But like I said, it’s a game of football. We just need to dust ourselves and we know we’re going to do much in our game against FC Platinum,” said Mapeza.
Scottland dropped one place into fourth position, five points behind leaders CAPS United. Simba Bhora moved to 16 points as they continued on their recovery from a slow start. Their coach Mandla Mpofu was ecstatic after the win yesterday, which came on the back of a 3-0 thrashing of FC Platinum in their previous outing.
“Three precious points I think. I think we came into this game, no one gave us a chance,” said Mpofu.
“Playing the defending champions with a lot of quality, they started fairly well. I think we didn’t start well, we had some mixed results.
“But for the last two games, I think scoring five goals in two games gave us a little bit of motivation.
“We came here again, looking, I’ll be honest, looking for at least a draw. If we could have taken a point, I wasn’t going to be disappointed as a coach. I think again we started a little bit sloppy.
“On a good day, I think Scotland could have punished us. They got some very good opportunities to kill off the game in the first half. But I think we finished a little bit strong in the last 20 minutes.
“We gained ourselves, we kept a very good structure.
“We took the initiative, we took the game to our opponents as much as possible. But overall I think we showed a little bit of character.
“We can’t take Scotland lightly. It’s one of the best teams ever here. One of the best forwards that we have ever seen in the country,” said Mpofu.
