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Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Flame Lily. ……………………………………………………… 0
ZPC Kariba ………………………………………………… (1) 1
A 10-man ZPC Kariba picked a second consecutive win when they beat relegation threatened Flame Lily in a lunch time kick off match at Rufaro yesterday. Reigning Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year Dennis Dauda headed home off a corner kick in the 12th minute as the electricity generators took their points tally to 27 points. The win was the electricians’ sixth of the season. The visitors were forced to battle for almost half an hour a man shot after defensive linkman Tawanda Munyanduri was shown a second yellow card for remonstrating with referee Munyaradzi Majoni three minutes after the hour mark.
Flame Lily dominated exchanges but poor finishing proved their biggest let down with James Chivasa and Moses Demera the major culprits.
Despite the win, ZPC coach Sunday Chidzambwa was not impressed with his team’s showing.
“This has been the way we play since I became ZPC coach and you could see Flame Lily dominated from the first whistle to the last,” said Chidzambwa.
“What we only did well was to defend that one goal. People pay to watch good football so we are back to the drawing board to try and improve so that next time we come to Harare people will flock to watch us play.”
Chidzambwa’s opposite number Backlyfield Chivenga was disappointed to lose a match they dominated but remains hopeful his team will survive relegation.
“It’s a painful defeat because we played very well but we only failed to recover from that early goal. We still have 18 points to fight for so we have a chance to avoid relegation,” said Chivenga.
Meanwhile, former Warriors goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupanedengu saved a penalty and made several vital blocks as Harare City survived an onslaught from a changed Triangle side to draw 0-0 at Rufaro yesterday.
The result left Harare City stuck on fifth position while fading Triangle, winless in their last seven matches, remained fourth.
The visitors were a changed side from the one that suffered a humiliating 0-5 drubbing against the same opponents in the Chibuku quarter-final last weekend and could have grabbed three points had it not been for Nyamupanedengu’s star performance.
Nyamupanedengu, who was preferred ahead of regular starter Tafadzwa Dube, denied Triangle a golden chance to take the lead in first half added time when he dived to his right to save Ronald Mudimu’s spot kick.
Triangle keeper Mudimu rarely misses from the spot but he was thwarted by a fired up Nyamupanedengu and ended up getting a yellow for simulation as he tried to go for the rebound.
Referee Thabani Bamala, fairly good all afternoon, awarded the penalty after City defender Arnold Chivheya had fouled bustling striker Felix Kuswatuka.
Online Reporter