Chronicle Editor
Tobias Mandoreba, Hwange Correspondent
Hwange 0 – 0 Ngezi Platinum Stars
HWANGE goalkeeper Bhekimpilo Ncube had a five star performance on his debut as he shut marauding Ngezi Platinum forwards in a Castle Lager Premiership match played at the Colliery Stadium this afternoon.
He had several top drawer performances and Hwange deservingly shared the spoils to break a four-match losing streak.
Going into the contest, the coalminers had gone for four games without a win with losses to Bulawayo Chiefs, Simba Bhora, Tell One and Chegutu Pirates and the match yesterday was a cliffhanger tie and on the edge as Chipangano needed to come out with something to end the nightmares of the four matches and breathe some oxygen in their campaign.
Both teams dished out a complete football fiesta to the bumper crowd in a game which had the ingredients of crisp passes, methodical attacks and demonstration of sheer determination by both set of players.
It was also a match in which Hwange second choice goalkeeper Bhekimpilo Ncube chose to exhibit his goalkeeping prowess and repaid coach Nation Dube’s faith in him with some top drawer saves especially the last half when Ngezi Platinum Stars came charging at Hwange like a wounded buffalo .
The introduction of Takunda Benhura for Nigel Makumbe early in the last stanza added some firepower in the visitors’ attack.
Ncube’s heroics started five minutes after the breather when he smothered a ferocious freekick from Ngezi captain Qadr Amini
Twenty minutes from time he denied big striker Claude Mapoka from close range but he his save of the afternoon came fifteen minutes from time when he summoned all his reflexes to acrobatically fist away a glancing Talent Chamboko header fron close range out for a corner kick much to the delight and admiration of the roaring crowd.
Teams
HWANGE : Bhekimpilo Ncube; Kelly Shiyandindi; Ralyton Maphosa; Tawanda Shenje; Sebastian Moyo; Solomon Sithole( SiphoNdlovu 55rd min); Marcelline Mlilo( Blessing 85th min); Canaan Nkomo( Prosper Mathe 85th min) ; Shepard Gadzikwa; Gift Mbweti( MongameliTshuma 85th min) ; Tendai Muvhuti ( Pritchard 55rd min)
NGEZI PLATINUM STARS: Nelson Chadya; Qadr Amini( Tinashe Mashaireni 80th min) ; Polite Moyo; Nigel Makumbe(,TakundaBenhura 46th min); Kudzai Chigwida; Gareth Madhake; Claude Mapoka;( Moses Demera 80th min) Marvellous Mukumba; Talent Chamboko; Marvin Gaki;(Tinotenda Murasiranwa)Richard Hachiro
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