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Tobias Mandoreba in Hwange
Hwange 0-0 Chapungu
A draw was probably the fairest result as hosts Hwange and visiting Chapungu battled it out in this lukewarm Castle Lager Premier League match at the Colliery Stadium yesterday.
Both teams have suddenly found themselves as relegation candidates with the ongoing relegation saga between Zifa and the Premier Soccer League but the coalminers will be more pleased with the point as it leaves them in a safe zone whatever the final outcome of the impasse is at the end of the day.
The airmen had a big chance in the opening two minutes of the contest with striker Patrick Khumbula’s flashing header being acrobatically tipped over the bar by the impressive Hwange goalkeeper Taimon Mvula.
Khumbula’s attempt jolted the hosts into life. They started to pin Chapungu in their own half but the goal proved elusive with a glut of missed chances by the miners.
The miss of the afternoon came in the 18th minute when Hwange’s talismanic striker Gift Mbweti cleverly waltzed his way past two Chapungu defenders inside the box only for him to miscue his effort with goalkeeper Talbott Shumba to beat.
The youngster was to again hold his head in disbelief three minutes into the last stanza when he blazed his effort over the bar from a few metres out after he had latched on to a lovely Gilbert Zulu cross.
The match then became a big yawn and only livened up in the last quarter after Mebelo Njekwa introduced veteran attacking midfielder Farai Vimisai for Admire Banda in the 75th minute.
Vimisai embarked on some mazy runs from the right flank and sent in delicate crosses which found no takers inside the box. Overlapping left back Munyaradzi Mungadze joined in the list of culprits to miss chances on the stroke of fulltime when he blazed his shot way over the bar after coming at the end of a Vimisai sitter.
Njekwa bemoaned the chances wasted for the share of points.
“It was a game of missed chances as we got many of them but we failed to convert any. They also defended well but I thank my God for helping the team avoid relegation,” he said.
His opposite number John Nyikadzino praised his boys for the right attitude.
“My boys had a right mental approach to the game and it is commendable. We wanted maximum points away from home but well it didn’t happen but in our last match against Caps we will fight tooth and nail to get maximum points,” he said.
Bulawayo referee Philani Ncube had a firm grip on the match much to the appreciation of both coaches.
@tobymandox
Online Reporter