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Lovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
Chapungu 1-1 Harare City
CHAPUNGU coach John Nyikadzino rued a glaring 64th minute miss by striker Tongai Magwendere, which he felt should have earned the airmen maximum points after they were held 1-1 by Harare City in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Ascot Stadium yesterday.
It was the Sunshine Boys, who dictated the pace in the early stages of the game and Talent Chawapiwa thrust the visitors into the lead in the 11th minute before a Magwendere header levelled matters on the half hour mark.
The loss stretched Chapungu’s winless run to nine games, but Nyikadzino said his side deserved maximum points yesterday.
“Harare City is one of the best teams in the league, according to me, but Tongai should have buried that one for us to win the match. I’m not worried about us not winning today, but I’m worried about the 25 points we’ve at the moment,” said Nyikadzino.
Chapungu lost the reverse fixture 0-2 in Harare marking the beginning of their winless streak.
His Harare City counterpart Taurai Mangwiro was satisfied with a point.
“Obviously we would’ve wanted to get three points, but a draw is a good result for us considering that we’re playing away from home.
“We’ve had four draws of which I feel we could’ve won at least two.
“We could’ve been somewhere but I think we’re still on the right track,” said Mangwiro.
After a cracking start to the match, it was the Sunshine Boys, who drew first blood when Kudakwashe Kamwala floated a cross into the box for Chawapiwa to fire past a hapless Talbort Shumba in goals for Chapungu.
Magwendere could have cancelled the visitors’ lead in the 22nd minute had his thunderbolt from the edge of the box not been well dealt with by keeper Tafadzwa Dube.
However, the former Caps United striker made no mistake eight minutes later when he headed in a Hillary Mugoniwa corner kick to level the scores.
Magwendere failed to replicate a similar header from another Mugoniwa corner a few moments later.
The second half started with both sides failing to create meaningful scoring chances before Magwendere fluffed the half’s best chance in the 64th minute.
Tinei Chitora dispossessed a Harare City defender on the left side and charged towards goal before laying a square pass to Magwendere, who agonisingly directed his effort just wide off the mark.
Harare City’s Crispen Dickson was sent off for a second bookable offence in stoppage time by referee Brighton Chimene for a crude tackle on Philip Marufu.
Online Reporter