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Tobias Mandoreba Hwange Correspondent
Hwange 1-0 Black Rhinos
HWANGE opened a two-point lead at the top of the standings when they edged a 10-man Black Rhinos in a closely fought contest at the Colliery Stadium yesterday. With giants Dynamos and Highlanders dropping three points and a point respectively, Chipangano seized the opportunity and stormed to the top of the standings. The Nation Dube-coached side have already made their intentions of winning their maiden league title known.
The Castle Lager Premier Soccer league encounter had a minute’s silence in honour of former Black Rhinos midfield maestro Sanduka Pakamisa who passed away on Tuesday morning. The victorious coalminers were however given a good run for their money by the numerically disadvantaged soldiers in the last half and had to gallantly hold on to claim the valuable three points.
The straight red card victim was Beaven Chikaka, who according to match referee Hardley Ndazi, insulted an opponent just after Hwange and national team defender Eric Chipeta had converted a 40th minute penalty past goalkeeper Herbert Rusamo after the shotstopper had fouled midfielder Rodwell Chinyengetere as he prepared to pull the trigger inside the box.
Rusamo luckily got away with a yellow card for his dangerous tackle on a player who had to endure a lengthy absence from football after he suffered a career threatening injury at the hands of the then Monomotapa goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi in May 2012 in a league match in Harare.
Before the breakthrough which came via the spot kick, the coalminers had started the match with all guns blazing and with a threat at goal as early as the third minute after Chinyengetere latched on to a clever flick by Tafara Chese only for his grounder to whistle past the left upright.
In the 12th minute Chinyengetere came back hissing like a venomous snake but this time he watched in disbelief as his volley crashed against the right upright and bounced back into play with no takers.
The army men briefly seized play with some fast-paced attacks orchestrated by veteran wingers Phillip Marufu and Chikaka but all their efforts wilted under the Hwange sun as twin centrebacks David Boriwondo and Gerald Ndlovu were in no mood for favours.
But as the opening half wore on, the visitors took their feet off the pedal and resorted to “parking the bus” in their own half to frustrate the probing coalminers.
Ten minutes from the breather, Hwange almost grabbed the opener but again lady luck was not on Chinyengetere’s side as he beat Rusamo all systems out after some clever exchange of passes with Farai Vimisai but again the upright post was the stumbling block to leave the home fans restless. The pressure by the home side finally yielded dividends five minutes from the breather after Vimisai intelligently chipped the ball for an on-rushing Chinyengetere who was fouled to give away the penalty that Chipeta converted.
The double substitution by Chauya Chipemberere gaffer Arthur Tutani in the 54th minute when he brought in Brian Muzondiwa and Milton Kureva for Wilson Chakanyuka and Lincoln Saramaya changed the complexion of the visitors’ play as Muzondiwa ignited the scene with some mazy runs and sublime passing of the ball.
The hosts were so much under pressure from the soldiers who were now with renewed vigour and continued to concede needless free kicks in dangerous positions but Rhinos failed to punish them.
Rhinos will feel hard done by the football gods deep into injury time as Wonder Kapinda was allowed a free header in the box by a visibly tired Hwange rearguard but his effort sailed over the crossbar with the entire technical bench already celebrating.
Hwange goalkeepers’ coach Chenjerayi Dube was relieved at the end of the game for a set of points which came after brushing off a determined Chauya Chipembere second half onslaught.
“We are very happy to get the three points as it was clear Black Rhinos came here to frustrate us by defending but at the end of the day we were victors. We could have got more goals but it was not to be,” he said.
Hwange coach Nation Dube has of late been delegating the post match press interviews to his goalkeepers’ coach.
Tutani congratulated Hwange for the win.
Teams
Hwange: T Mawaya; E Chipeta; P Mpelele; G Ndlovu; D Boriwondo; A Tshuma; T Chese; O Lungu (E Rusike 54th min); A Marime (N Sianchali 84th min); R Chinyengetere; F Vimisai (N Siwela 75th min)
Black Rhinos: H Rusamo; J Munkombwe; W Chakanyuka(M Kureva54th min); S Jimu; B Homora; W Kapinda; B Chikaka (red card 42th min); M Mine(T Ajama88th min); L Saramaya (B Muzondiwa 54th min); P Marufu; O Gada.
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