Chapungu, City in stalemate

Munyaradzi Musiiwa in Gweru
Chapungu ………………………………………………………….0
Bulawayo City ……………. ……………………………………….0
A draw was the fairest result after Chapungu and Bulawayo City conspired to showcase a lackluster display in a dull nil all draw in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter at Ascot Stadium yesterday.

Chapungu who are aiming for a top eight finish at the end of the season came into the match needing nothing short of victory and failed to utilise the few chances which came their way.

On the very few occasions they shot on target “Waru Waru” found Amakhosi shot stopper Ndodana Sibanda unyielding.

In the end Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino who was coming from two back to back defeats at the hands of FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum was content with sharing the spoils.

“Obviously I am disappointed with the result as we would have loved to pick maximum points but a draw is not a bad result under the circumstances,” said the Chapungu mentor before taking a dig at the match officials led by centre referee Allen Basvi.

“I do not want to comment much about match officiating but I am not happy with the way the game was handled. This is the same referee who handled the reverse fixture against the same opposition and awarded them a penalty. Today every 50/50 challenge was going against us and this is not good for football,” Nyikadzino fumed.

His counterpart Try Ncube who was coming from a three match winless run was satisfied with a point.

“Considering that we have lost the last three matches I am happy about this performance but with a little bit of luck we could have collected maximum points because we created better chances. Going forward I think our strikers should convert chances because that is the only way we can survive relegation,’’ said Ncube.

There was nothing much to write home about in the first half with Bulawayo City making their first attempt in the 29th minute when Morris Kadzola flighted a cross into the box to find an unmarked Innocent Kutsanzira whose header was cleared off the line by Blessed Mbavarira after beating goalkeeper Roy Mazingi.

The visitors could have opened scoring in the 63rd minute when Mkhokheli Dube unleashed a thunderbolt from just outside the box but found Mazingi equal to the task.

Chapungu’s meaningful attempt came through second half substitute Allan Tavarwiswa whose long range effort was spilled by Sibanda but Rodwell Mhlanga failed to score on a rebound.

Veteran Philip Marufu could have snatched a late winner when his free kick was parried to safety by Sibanda.