Chronicle Editor
Ray Bande in Mutare
Manica Diamonds 0-1 Bulawayo City
THE chaotic Castle Lager Premiership match played at Sakubva Stadium yesterday pitting Manica Diamonds and Bulawayo City will probably compete for the longest-ever domestic topflight encounter award, as the referee eventually blew the final whistle after exactly two hours and 28 minutes with the visitors leading by a solitary goal.
A normal football match lasts 90 minutes, with a few minutes added on, if need be, but this drama-filled match had a 26-minute stoppage after the collapse of the crossbar in the 51st minute when City goalkeeper Reward Muza swung on it.
The worst was yet to come!
With a minute remaining, the match was stopped for more than 20 minutes again as City players and officials protested the referees’ decision to award the home team a penalty in the last minute of the encounter.
All hell broke loose when City players and officials mobbed second assistant referee Joel Magweva, who had raised his flag for a penalty after a defender had handled the ball in a goalmouth melee.
Magweva received a few punches from substitute Douglas Sibanda before he fled from the marauding City players and officials.
Moments later, referee Arnold Ncube, who had also blown the whistle to effect his second assistant referee’s decision, gave in to pressure from the visitors and rescinded the decision to award the last-minute penalty.
Chaos then reigned on the pitch as fans invaded the pitch in anger.
So hostile was the atmosphere that there were no post match interviews as coaches and players from both teams left the pitch in a huff after Ncube blew the final whistle.
Manica Diamonds paid dearly for a complacent approach to the match, especially in the early stages of the encounter.
Those without knowledge of the log standings prior to the encounter had no reason to believe that this was a match pitting a team in the top four against one in in the bottom four.
City took the game to their highly fancied opponents and their goal 22 minutes into the match, created from absolutely nothing, gave them confidence as the match progressed.
In what can be best described as a moment of madness, Gem Boys defender Eriya Mafirenyika literally passed the ball to the opponents’ top man Dalubulhe Dlodlo and the latter made no mistake as he placed the ball beyond Jorum Muchambo’s reach.
The goal must have been a major heartbreak for Muchambo, who had gone for six matches without conceding a goal.
Both teams exchanged raids as the match progressed, but somehow precision lacked from both fronts.
Yesterday’s result is obviously a major drawback for Gem Boys coach Johanisi Nhumwa, who agonisingly watched his team’s six-match unbeaten run going up in smoke.
Results at a glançe
Castle Lager Premiership Soccer League
Ngezi Platinum 1-1 Highlanders
Dynamos 0-0 Triangle United
Bulawayo Chiefs 0-1 Cranborne Bullets
Whawha 2-0 Tenax
Manica Diamonds 0-1 Bulawayo City
Saturday
Chicken Inn 0-3 FC Platinum
Harare City 1-2 Caps United
Black Rhinos 2-1 Herentals
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