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From Ricky Zililo in Bulawayo
How Mine……………….0
Harare City………….(1)1CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League championship contenders Harare City vowed to take the title race to the wire after collecting maximum points against How Mine at Barbourfields yesterday.
The Sunshine City Boys, who are in their second season in the topflight, kept their championship hopes alive with Silas Songani’s 19th minute stunner which was enough to propel them to victory against the gold miners.
The national team midfielder hit the roof of the net from inside the box after a brilliant exchange of passes involving Harare City’s captain Godfrey Nguwodzawo, Crybet Muvuti and Songani who kept his composure to beat How Mine’s goalkeeper Ephraim Mazarura.
Following yesterday’s win, Harare City maintained their third position on the league table, tied on 42 points with defending champions Dynamos who are second and both clubs trail Bulawayo giants Highlanders by two points with five rounds of matches to go before the season ends.
In his post match interview, Harare City’s coach Bigboy Mawiwi said he was relieved with the victory having gone for six league matches without a win.
Harare City last collected maximum points in July when they edged FC Platinum 1-0 at Rufaro. After that, they were held to a goalless draw by relegation threatened Tripple B, lost 1-3 to Dynamos, played a 2-2 draw away at Triangle which was followed by three identical 1-1 draws against Shabanie Mine, Chicken Inn and Black Mambas.
“This victory takes off pressure that was creeping into our dressing room because we were playing well but failing to get maximum points. This win will take us a long way in as far as the championship race is concerned and what is needed now is to keep this momentum going and make sure that we keep collecting maximum points so that we remain in the title race. We will see where we will be at the end of the season,” said Mawiwi.
The Harare City gaffer said they should have killed the game in the first half but lack of composure in front of goal saw them missing a number of sitters.
Former Monomotapa striker Osbourne Mukuradare should have thrust his side ahead four minutes into the game when Songani sent in a perfect cross from the right that eluded Mazarura only for Mukuradare to head wide with the goal at his mercy.
If there was a “Miss of the Season award”, then it would have been given to Nguwodzawo who failed to direct his effort into an empty net and hit the upright with Mazarura already beaten by a Mukuradare cross from the left.
How Mine also had their fair share of scoring chances with the first one falling to Simba Sithole who was denied a goal by the upright in the 10th minute.
Two minutes after the breather, How Mine were awarded a penalty after Crispen Dickson brought down Sithole in the box and up stepped the gold miners’ penalty kick specialist Menard Mupera who had his effort saved by Harare City’s impressive goalkeeper Maxwell Nyamupangedengu.
In a clear sign of desperation for an equaliser, How Mine’s centre-back Hebert Dick played the last 15 minutes of the match up front and was unlucky in the 83rd minute when his header hit the upright.
Harare City finished the match with 10 men after right back Munyaradzi Nyenye received his second yellow card in injury time for time wasting. He had been booked in the 48th minute for a foul on Mupera.
How Mine coach Philani Ncube rued his side’s missed chances.
“It’s unfortunate that we are able to win away and lose at home. We had our fair share of chances but we missed and Harare City utilised theirs. They played well and all the best to Harare City.
“I think the other thing that might have affected our game is the issue of fatigue since we have played three games inside seven days,” said Ncube.
Harare City also played the same number of games in a week.
Online Reporter