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as they went on to beat Motor Action and lift their first Independence Trophy at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
The platinum miners who trailed for the most part of the game after Norman Maroto had put the Mighty Bulls ahead in the 10th minute, refused to throw in the towel and their persistence paid off when defender Qadr Amin rescued the game in the final minute of added time.
The Zvishavane side had appeared down and out, but roving leftback Amin had other ideas as he saved the best for the most decisive moment with a well taken shot from the edge of the penalty box, to send the match to a penalty shootout.
Goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube then became the hero of the day after blocking Motor Action’s first two kicks from the spot as his teammates Joel Ngodzo, Amin, Daniel Veremu and Michelle Katsvairo all converted without making mistakes.
Dube dived to his right to stop Gift Phiri’s low shot and then palmed out Protash Kabwe’s rising effort to give his side the advantage.
Motor Action defender Morris Kadzola was the only player to score for the Mighty Bulls in the shootout after taking the third kick, but the final two were of no use as soon as Katsvairo put Kugona Kunenge Kudada on an unassailable 4-1 lead, and send the club’s supporters into frenzy.
FC Platinum goalkeeper Dube admitted Motor Action had given them a torrid time during the afternoon, especially in the first half when his teammates were always second to the ball and appeared running out of ideas when they had possession inside the opposition territory.
But Rahman Gumbo’s men returned from the breather a rejuvenated side, with the introduction of Louis Matawu and Norman Togara at the restart.
“We showed our character because we were trailing behind for the greater part of the game. Motor Action really stretched us beyond what we had imagined. We were so positive going into this game that we were going to win but once we got onto the field it was a different game altogether,” said Dube.
The Zvishavane side found themselves on the backfoot early in the first half after Maroto put his new side on the driving seat.
Maroto, who was deemed excess baggage by FC Platinum, did well to control the ball after receiving a good pass through the middle from Congolese winger Yves Ebabali and then placed the ball beyond the reach of the diving goalkeeper with a sharp left footer.
It appears FC Platinum, who had shown great promise at the start, were thrown into disarray as the Bulls gained an upperhand, running rings in the opposition half led by attacking midfielder Gift Phiri and new skipper Passmore Bernard.
Former Young Warriors rightback, Bernard, who recently took over the captain’s armband from veteran goalkeeper Marlon Jani was in top form yesterday, working round the clock to stop the marauding combination of Amin and Ali Sadiki while also useful in the offensive.
Motor Action could have been two up at the hour mark had Maroto’s header been more accurate after connecting an Ismael Lawe cross past the advancing goalkeeper.
The Bulls defence remained resolute but centreback Dominic Mukandi nearly gave the miners an early lifeline when he miscued a low cross from Joel Ngodzo and was lucky to concede a corner kick in the 51st minute.
Sadiki who had a good understanding with Amin down the left was back to haunt the Bulls defenders moments later after working his way past Bernard but his final delivery rolled across the face of goal with no takers.
FC Platinum struggled in front of goal and Gumbo had to gamble in the 74th minute pulling out Charles Sibanda and replacing him with defender-cum-striker Kumbulani Banda, who however could not make any difference as he squandered a good chance in the 87th minute. The former Dynamos leftback was wellplaced in the penalty area after Norman Togara had kept a high ball in play but Banda could not find his feet with goalkeeper at his mercy.
But the turning point came in the 92nd minute when Amin controlled the ball just outside the box and sent it into the far corner.
“This was a devastating blow. We just have to fight on another day,” said Motor Action manager Antipas.
Teams
Motor Action: M. Jani, P. Bernard, B. Chimwamuchere, M. Kadzola, D. Mukandi, J. Jam, I. Masame, Y. Ebabali (N. Maviri, 72nd minute), G. Phiri, I. Lawe(P. Kabwe, 85th minute), N. Maroto (M. Ncube, 89th minute)
FC Platinum: T. Dube, Z. Ngodzo (N. Togara, 46th minute), Q. Amin, G. Banda, D. Veremu, C. Kamhapa, J. Ngodzo, A. Sadiki, C. Sibanda (K. Banda, 74th minute), A. Gahadzikwa (L. Matawu, 46th minute), M. Katsvairo.
Online Reporter