adminTobias Mandoreba in Hwange
Hwange …………………………. (1) 1
Tsholotsho …………………………. 0
A fourth minute goal by enterprising Hwange attacking midfielder Gift Mbweti was all the coalminers needed to exact revenge over a stubborn Tsholotsho after a cracking Castle Lager Premier League soccer match at the Colliery yesterday afternoon.
Tsholotsho walloped Chipangano 3-0 in the reverse fixture before the mid-season break.
Hwange’s young playmaker Mbweti will, however, be the first to admit that the he needed some stroke of luck in the goal as an attempted clearance by defender Trust Nyabinde cannoned off him to loop over the outdrawn goalkeeper Nickel Marichi who had raced out of his line to avert a Hwange attack at goal.
The goal came moments after the visitors, who gave the home side lots of threats the entire afternoon with some sleek passing and confidence on the ball, had missed a glorious opportunity for an early opener after Bruce Madamombe was allowed a free header inside the box only for his powerful effort to sail inches over the bar with goalkeeper Future Sibanda at sea.
In the 10th minute the red-hot Mbweti could have grabbed another goal but Marichi was equal to the task with a fine save as he smothered his sizzling grounder with a heroic one hand save.
From thereon Tsholotsho kept the drum-beating Hwange fans in silence as they pinned the coalminers in their own half with attack after attack which saw defender Nyabinde almost turning from villain to hero in the 25th minute with a dipping and treacherous free-kick from the edge of the box which was tipped over the bar by Sibanda with the visitors’ bench already celebrating.
Former Hwange midfielder Nkosana Siwela and Macclive Phiri also had clear cut opportunities to level matters before the breather but the goal proved elusive as Tsholotsho turned the screws on Hwange to the half-time whistle.
The script was the same in the last half as the visitors harassed the coalminers who had to defend resolutely with young Andrew Tandi proving his mettle in his first game in Chipangano colours in the heart of defence.
A cornered Hwange almost doubled their lead against the run of play in the 63rd minute after Mbweti trickery on the right flank saw him laying a sitter for Sianchali whose rasping shot flew over the crossbar by a few inches with Marichi diving in vain. Lizwe Sweswe’s introduction of Denford Moyo and Ayanda Ncube for Siwela and Bruno Madanhire soon after Sianchali’s glaring miss added Iziqholo Ze Zhwane’s sting upfront but the Hwange rear-guard defended in numbers up to a very nervy end to start the second round on a brighter note.
Hwange coach Mebelo Njekwa heaved a huge sigh of relief soon after the final whistle by referee Nkosikona Moyo.
“Tsholotsho gave us a good run for our money as they fought throughout the match. We had good chances to wrap up the game but such is football and we hope to continue well in the last half of the campaign,” said Njekwa.
Sweswe was impressed by his charges despite the narrow loss.
“We played well as a team despite the loss. The performance by the boys today gives us confidence going forward as we lost by a goal which came as a result of luck,” he said.
Teams
Hwange: F. Sibanda; P. Dube; P. Mpelele; A. Tandi; G. Ndlovu; G. Ndlovu; O. Moyo; A. Tshuma; C. Muleya; G. Mbweti; G. Zulu; N. Sianchali
Tsholotsho: N. Marichi; M. Phiri; N. Moyo; T. Ncube; T. Nyabinde; S. Dube (C. Yeboah 58th minute); B. Madanhire (A. Ncube 65th minute); N. Siwela (D. Moyo 66th minute); R. Mufudza; C. Dhuwa; B. Sibanda.
Online Reporter