Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Scottland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Hardrock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . (1) 1
ZIMBABWE soccer kings Scottland suffered a major setback to their dreams of a unique domestic treble when new rivals Hardrock sent them tumbling out of the Chibuku Super Cup at Rufaro yesterday.
Scottland arrived for the quarter-final tie chasing glory in the league championship, the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup and the Chibuku Super Cup on the local front.
They are also still involved in the CAF Champions League.
But Scottland found Kelvin Kaindu’s visitors with other ideas.
It was Hardrock whose own dream debut in the elite game picked up yet another huge credential after they burst into the semi-final of the country’s second biggest knock-out tournament.
The Kwekwe outfit were full value of the famous victory delivered through Eswatini international Neliswa Dlamini’s powerful header, just 14 minutes into the contest.
Scottland wrote a good piece of history by winning the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title in their first season last year to become the first team to do so in 41 years and if Hardrock were inspired by that feat, they showed yesterday that they can go even a step further.
While Scottland were bundled out of the Chibuku Super Cup before wrapping up the league championship last season, Hardrock could fancy their own chances of a treble.
This is because apart from the Chibuku Super Cup, Kaindu and his men are still in the running in the Munhumutapa Cup and are breathing down on Scottland’s neck, who are just a point above them in the league marathon.
Scottland, fresh from scrapping a draw that ensured their passage to the next round in the CAF Champions League against Eswatini giants Nsingizini Hotspurs last weekend, never really got to settle in the Hardrock showdown.
They hardly tested goalkeeper Martin Mapisa for the entire first half while their opponents bombarded them from all directions.
Hardrock’s midfield dictated the tempo and set the pace of the game, and by the end of the opening 15 minutes, the writing was literally on the wall on who would likely break the ice. Of course, it was Hardrock and predictably so.
Right-back Lennox Mucheto beat a poor Scottland offside trap on the right flank and had all the time he needed to loft the ball over the hosts’ defence and somewhat rusty goalkeeper Talbert Shumba.
Dlamini ghosted in and nodded home.
The draw for the semi-finals was held immediately after the match, with Kaindu sounding cautious on the prospect of facing FC Hunters.
“I am happy with the way my players carried themselves. You know Scottland is not a bad team.
“But to come here and put in a disciplined show as we did is something that I want to give to the players,” said Kaindu.
“The games are coming thick and fast. We really needed to win this match, and now we will face another tricky opponent in FC Hunters.
“It’s a game that we know won’t be easy even if we are playing at home.”
Scottland coach Norman Mapeza admitted Hardrock were smarter.
“Hardrock played well. They were quick to settle into the game. We took too long to settle in. The time we settled, Hardrock were already a goal up, and unfortunately, we couldn’t manage to score,’’ Mapeza said.
