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There was drama at the end of the match when head coach Adam Ndlovu was controversially sent off by referee Happy Mabhena after he complained of biased officiating.
Both teams had gone on a two-game winless streak and with serious inhouse problems, Shabanie Mine have reached the three-game mark without a win. They had been championship underdogs.
Mahachi opened the scores after 35 minutes when he turned Shabanie’s William Ngonya inside out outside the 18-yard box before unleashing a thunderbolt with his left boot which left Roy Mazingi in goals for the visitors a mere spectator.
He was to be the provider for the second goal when his pass from the left fell to Sydney Linyama who justified with a cheeky header that again gave Mazingi no chance at all after 61 minutes.
Shabanie Mine’s 80th minute substitute Caleb Masocha was to pull one for the visitors two minutes from time after he was gifted with the ball by Chicken Inn’s defender Guide Goddard.
Masocha let loose a pile drive that gave Njabulo Nyoni, in goals for the home team, no chance at all.
The first half had been a drab affair that had nothing to talk about except the goal.
The first 10 minutes and much of the second half belonged to the visitors who put men forward in search of an equaliser but were to be punished from a set piece.
Chicken Inn’s assistant coach Mandla Mpofu conceded that the visitors could have scored in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
“Shabanie really played well in the opening 10 minutes after the second half and they could have scored two or three goals but we were really lucky. I think we were under pressure to deliver after going two games without a win and we did not assert ourselves in the game but I am happy we got the three points we so much needed,” Mpofu said.
Luke Masomere, the Shabanie Mine coach, said his team had been unlucky.
“We were the dominant side and we had a lot of good chances but we did not utilise them and at the end we paid dearly. However we are now focused on the next game and the problems we had the past weeks are over and we are looking at going back to our old self,” Masomere said.
The other talking point was a “second second half” after another 10-minute pause was called for after a player had slid on the corner flag and it snapped in half before play was stopped to mend it.
Teams
Chicken Inn
N Nyoni, M Jackson, L Mpofu, D Phiri (S Linyama 45 minutes), M Ncube (T Ndoro 60 minutes), E Chikwaikwai, T Goredema, K Mahachi, G Goddard, B Mbiriri, F Chindungwe.
Shabanie Mine
R Mazingi, P Zimunya, S Choenda, P Mudena (C Masocha 80 minutes), P Sithole, B Mbavarira, K Kwashi (T Mombeshora 80 minutes), T Rukanda, N Mazivisa, S Muchabaiwa, W Ngonya.
Online Reporter