adminPaul Mundandi in Zvishavane
Shabanie Mine 2-2 Harare City
SHABANIE Mine denied themselves maximum points when they allowed Harare City a dramatic comeback after they had taken a deserved first half lead in a Zvishavane thriller.
The asbestos miners scored through Wellington Kamudyariwa in the 28th minute and Allan Tavarisa 10 minutes later.
Osborne “Bosso” Mukuradare pulled one back in the 55th minute with Francisco Zvikumbawire equalising in the 85th minute.
Former Zim Leopards, Hwange and Dynamos striker Zvikumbawire showed that he is still lethal in front of goal. With his team trailing Shabanie by a goal, he reacted quickly to place a rebound past static Shabanie Mine.
A long clearance by goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupanedengu was directed towards goal by Zvenyika Makonese in a bid to clear. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced back into play.
Zvikumbawire drilled the rebound past an exposed London Zulu just five minutes to fulltime.
The visitors had earlier on found the equaliser through the right boot of Mukuradare.
Shabanie defence was again to blame for this goal as 10 minutes from the breather the striker turned defender Rodney Mware inside out in the box and sent a rising shot that went into the nets. There was nothing Zulu could have done to stop it.
Shabanie had taken the lead through new signing Kamudyariwa. A cross from the left by Xolani Ncube saw the midfielder connecting a firm header that Nyamupanedengu never saw.
The hosts added another goal when Douglas Sibanda exchanged passes with Rowan Nenzou in the 38th minute. The veteran midfielder who tore the visitors defence at will cleverly chipped to Tavarwisa who reacted with a first time effort beating Nyamupanedengu all systems out.
Earlier on the burly Tavarwisa had failed to beat the visitors’ goalkeeper in the 35th minute.
The visitors had their moments too.
Shabanie Mine will however feel hard done by Gwanda-based referee Nkosana Nduna who denied them what looked like a penalty in the 37th minute when Arnold Chivheya handled under the challenge of Godknows Murwira and in the 89th minute when Marvellous Dikinya was pulled in the box by captain David Kutyauripo.
Masimba Dinyero was happy with the point and after the match he went straight to praise the travelling Harare City fans who responded with the chant “Officer!”
“I am happy to collect a point away and I enjoyed the passing game. I had instructed my boys to go in full force as I felt we could also score two goals just like what Shabanie had done,” said the 39-year-old coach.
His counterpart was at a loss for words.
“Please I am sorry. I am shocked by the result and I do not have anything to say,” said the dejected John Phiri.
Meanwhile, our Lowveld correspondent Tawanda Mangoma writes that ZPC Kariba kept their unbeaten run intact with a hard fought draw at Chishamiso Stadium against Chiredzi.
It was a worthy point for the bottom side’s coach Gishon Ntini. Tsepo Rathlokoane scored the opening goal in the fourth minute after getting the better of David Temwanjira. Chiredzi got the equaliser courtesy of an own goal by Ephraim Mwinga.
derick.khumalo