admin
Ray Bande in MUTARE
Manica Diamonds……(0) 2
Tenax……………………(1) 2
CRANBORNE Bullets are through to the quarter-finals of the Chibuku Super Cup after the this draw between Manica Diamonds and Tenax at Sakubva yesterday meant the Harare army side can afford to lose their final encounter and still remain among the top two teams to progress from Group Three.
Newcomers Cranborne Bullets are the current Chibuku Super Cup Group Three log leaders after amassing nine points while second-placed Black Rhinos have seven points with only one round of group stage matches remaining.
The Mutare duo of Manica Diamonds and Tenax are tied on five points.
The race for the remaining ticket to progress to the next phase of the competition in Group Three now remains between Rhinos, Manica Diamonds and Tenax.
Manica Diamonds face Black Rhinos in the final round of Chibuku Super Cup matches while Tenax entertain Cranborne Bullets at Sakubva.
Yesterday’s four goal thriller saw both teams, most of whose players once shared the same dressing room in the past, exchanging raids but lacked the cutting edge in front of goal.
Manica Diamonds, who will look back with remorse after missing a number of some clear-cut scoring chances, could have been first on the scoresheet after exciting Lawrence Masibebera got to the end of Peace Makaha’s corner in the 35th minute but his header was cleared off the line by an alert Philip Makumi in goals for Tenax.
It was correctional services side Tenax who took the lead 40 minutes into the match through Gerald Taurai who struck a beauty from a free-kick just a few yards outside the box which deceived Manica Diamonds veteran goalkeeper Ashley Reyners.
The Gem Boys, as Manica Diamonds are fondly referred to by their growing fan base, leveled terms in the 65th minute through former Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum player Tichaona Mabvura who scored in similar fashion to Taurai as he converted from a dead ball just outside the box.
It was not long before Tenax reclaimed the lead when Simon Ndemera hit the roof of the net in the 67th minute to propel his side back into the lead.
It appeared defenders of both teams were napping on duty and just two minutes later, an unmarked Mabvura sealed a brace after he received a pass from Lloyd Katongonara and unleashed a grounder that left Tenax goalkeeper Makumi a well beaten man.
Between the two teams, it is Manica Diamonds who will certainly look back with regret after their strikers took turn to miss a number of scoring opportunities with Tawanda Nyamandwe being the main culprit.
It appears age is fast catching up with Nyamandwe especially when he failed a goalkeeper to beat situation after receiving a beautiful cross from impressive Mabvura in the 81st minute.
As expected, Manica Diamonds coach Johanisi Nhumwa bemoaned the missed scoring opportunities.
“There is really no way you can win a football match after missing scoring opportunities like we did today. It was really disappointing, to say the least. From the first whistle to the last we have been creating scoring opportunities but failing to convert,” said Nhumwa.
He, however, remains confident of progressing to the next stage of the competition.
“We are going into the last round of Chibuku Super Cup matches with confidence that we will able to win against Black Rhinos and book a place into the next stage of the competition.
In fact it is a must win for us and we are confident that we will deliver,” Nhumwa said.
His opposite number at Tenax, Shadreck Mugurasave, said: “For me is was game of two halves.
We dominated the other and they dominated in the other half. It is just unfortunate that we could not hold on to the lead each time we were ahead.
That is part of football.
We are now focusing on the next match against Cranborne Bullets hoping for the best.
We will go back and make amends on areas we did not do well today and come the next match, I have no doubt we will be ready to finish off the job.”
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda