peterRicky Zililo in Zvishavane
FC Platinum 1-0 Bulawayo Chiefs
AN 88th minute strike by Lawrence Mhlanga, who punished Chiefs for sloppy defending granted FC Platinum maximum points against a fighting Bulawayo Chiefs at Mandava Stadium yesterday.
It was a heartbreaking goal for Chiefs to concede since Amakhosi Amahle had managed to claim dominance in the second half having had played second fiddle to the hosts who enjoyed superior ball possession in the first stanza.
The victory meant the platinum miners opened a five point lead over second placed Chicken Inn who play Tenax in Rusape this afternoon.
FC Platinum started the game on an electrifying pace, but Chiefs held on and crept into the game.
The first goal mouth action came in the 13th minute, when FC Platinum leading scorer Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya dribbled past Bulawayo Chiefs’ left back Elvis Moyo, played in a hard and low cross that Chiefs’ skipper Marlvin Mkolo cleared onto the path of Ransome Pavari whose rising shot went to the stands.
FC Platinum’s central defender Mhlanga came in with a perfect tackle, sliding the ball away for corner as he stopped Chiefs’ centre-forward Farau Matare who was charging at goal in the 23rd minute.
Two minutes later, Brian Banda tried a long-range shot that didn’t trouble Chiefs’ goalie David Bizabani.
Chiefs’ winger Wilson Mensah was guilty of wasting a glorious scoring opportunity as he decided to control the ball instead of hitting it on the run in the 29th minute, leading to FC Platinum’s defender Gift Bello to recover and clear the ball to safety.
Banda’s 33rd minute snap shot after some brilliant interchange of passes with Blessing Moyo went agonizingly wide with Bizabani a shade late as he dived to his left.
Mkolo came in with a match-saving tackle as he intercepted a Juan Mutudza pass intended for Ngwenya who had timed his run three minutes before the breather.
Second half resumed with Chiefs pulling out Ghanaian winger Wilson Mensah for Obriel Chirinda as they sought to shift positional dominance.
However, it was FC Platinum who created a real scoring chance in the 56th minute when Mutudza waltzed his way past a cluster of Chiefs’ defenders, sent in a square pass that Ngwenya failed to connect with the goal yawning.
Chiefs were forced to make an injury inspired substitution in the 65th minute, taking out goalkeeper Bizabani for Matripples Muleya after the former had collided with an FC Platinum player.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza heaped praises on his charges, giving Chiefs credit for giving them a good run.
“It was a good game, a match where they enjoyed some dominance and we also did so. Even if we had drawn, I think it would have been a good result,” said Mapeza.
Chiefs’ coach Nilton Terroso blamed a lapse of concentration for the defeat.
“One of the good games we’ve played. It’s a game we played well but failed to make use of our chances,” Terroso said.
Online Reporter