adminTobias Mandoreba in Hwange
Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
Herentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) 3
A FIRED-UP and highly determined Herentals all but sealed Hwange’s fate as candidates for the 2020 ZIFA Southern Region Division One League with this important away win at the Colliery yesterday afternoon which left Chipangano gasping for oxygen in their survival at the end of the Castle Lager Premiership football season.
The home fans looked dejected and desolate at the final whistle as they pondered what went wrong and with full realisation that now only a football miracle can save Hwange from the dreaded axe.
Football has many twists and turns as the afternoon started with so much promise for Hwange who grabbed an early goal from a spot-kick well-taken by left-back Nomore Chinyerere as early as the second minute.
This was after veteran striker Gilbert Zulu was pulled down by defender Brighton Majarira inside the box as he went for the kill.
The lead was, however, short-lived as Herentals equalised five minutes later through Blessing Majarira who capitalised on a spill by Taimon Mvula who failed to hold on to a harmless chip by enterprising 48-year-old Innocent Benza.
Herentals went ahead in the 28th minute through Kelvin Bingala who capitalised on some horrific defending by the hosts to ghost in from the blind side and hammer the ball home from a tight angle.
Benza then capped a memorable outing in which he won the hearts of many neutrals with some deft touches with a goal five minutes from the breather after Mvula parried a thunderbolt from Majarira into his path leaving the veteran with all the time in the world to coolly toe-poke the ball into an empty net.
Chipangano thought a leeway for a remarkable come back had opened up two minutes after half-time when Zulu hit the nets after a howler by the visitors goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa who spilled a harmless-looking Nomore Chinyerere free-kick into his path.
Hwange then ran their socks off to get at least a point at home but the visitors defended solidly to the end as they are also in the relegation matrix.
And the home side’s coach Nation Dube called his team’s defending a disaster after the game.
“I cannot say there is anything that went wrong besides defending which I can call a disaster. We still have to rectify mistakes and keep believing,” he said.
His opposite number Kumbirai Mutiwekuza was on cloud nine.
“The mentality and attitude of the boys was superb and I am a happy man today. This venue is difficult to get a result. I am optimistic we will survive relegation,” Mutiwekuziva said.
Teams
Hwange: T Mvula, A Chuma( T Ncube 34th min), G Ndlovu, M Mungadze( K Chimbadzwa 46th min), N Chinyerere, F Chindungwe, V Kawe, A Ndlovu, S Gadzikwa, N Gama( L Mutoma 46th min), G Zulu
Herentals: P Tafiremutsa, B Majarira, B Maunganidze, D Chitsanzara, C Mavhurume( G Chinobva 75th min), W Chimbetu, B Majarira, J Mutudza, P Chota, K Bingala(P Chama 56th min), I Benza( W Kapumha 65th min)
Online Reporter