adminFrom Tobias Mandoreba in HWANGE
Hwange ……………………… (1) 3
Black Mambas ………………(1) 1
THE football gods continued to smile on Hwange after the coalminers garnered yet another crucial victory over a spirited 10-man Black Mambas at the Colliery yesterday to continue their march away from the relegation corridors as the Castle Lager Premier League race enters the home stretch.
Hwange flicked on the survival switch in their last six games, winning our times and drawing twice. After yesterday’s performance their passionate fans can be forgiven for believing that their heroes can even fight for a top eight finish at the end of the season.
Their recent good run aside, Hwange players must have shelved their wild celebrations to today due to fatigue after the determined policemen gave them a good run for their money yesterday to demonstrate that their 4-1 biting of CAPS United at Morris Depot last weekend was no fluke.
With the visitors playing with tails up and the scoreline even at 1-1, their world crumbled like a deck of cards after the sending off of defender Patrick Muswere in the 56th minute for an off-the-ball incident involving Hwange striker Isaac Masame.
First assistant referee Abraham Manda picked up the incident and alerted match referee Bekezela Makeka, who was attending to Hwange defender Eric Chipeta who was lying on the turf injured.
Makeka did not hesitate to brandish a red card to Muswere leading to a five-minute stoppage as the Mambas bench charged at Manda protesting over the dismissal.
When sanity eventually prevailed, the coalminers took advantage of their numerical advantage to pin Mambas in their own half for a breakthrough and it was no surprise when Hwange took the lead in the 65th minute through substitute Farai Vimisai, who had come in for Nkosana Siwela in the 50th minute.
His fine effort was the product of a marvellous solo run by another substitute, Tafara Chese, on the left flank before he sent in a delicate cross which was well connected by Vimisai to leave the home fans relieved.
After that goal Mambas simply refused to surrender as they threw everything at Hwange with some dangerous forays revolving around Innocent Nyoni and substitute Nhlanhla Ncube.
But all their hopes of coming out of the match with at least a draw fizzled into thin air four minutes from full time when Chese turned from provider to executioner with a toe-poked effort in a goalmouth melee after the visitors’ defence failed to deal with a curling Chipeta corner.
Apart from the second half drama which culminated in Muswere’s expulsion, it was Mambas who had silenced the home fans by surging ahead in the 11th minute through a well-taken penalty by Last Chibwiro after Chipeta had fouled the slippery Tsepo Rantokoane in the box.
The hosts continued to live dangerously and could have fallen further behind in the 20th minute after Kasimbero Chimbadzwa’s goal-bound effort was gallantly blocked by impressive defender David Boriwondo with young goalminder Takabva Mawaya badly exposed.
Two minutes after that threat Hwange were on level terms through the boot of man of the match Isaac Masame, who pounced on a spill by Mambas goalkeeper Tonderayi Mateyanyanga who found Gilbert Zulu’s sizzling pile-driver too hot to handle.
From then it was a tight contest up to the breather as both teams slugged it out for a breakthrough.
At the end of it all under the blazing Hwange temperatures, Hwange were celebrating as they quietly went about their business of neutralising the Mambas venom and a make a steady rise on the log on a day when all the attention was focused on the blockbuster league between giants Highlanders and Dynamos in Bulawayo.
Hwange goalkeeper’s coach Chenjerayi Dube was all smiles as he declared that the coalminers were now in cruise control.
“We are now in the driving gear or I can call it cruise control and we hope the same spirit will prevail in the next games. The boys did well and it is a pleasing result,” said Dube.
While Dube was on cloud nine, Mambas coach John “Toto” Ncube was seething with fury directed at the first assistant referee.
“That incident disrupted our game plan as we were now a man down and I think the decision by the assistant referee in a way cost us the game but at the same time I give credit to Hwange who played better in the second half where they created their chances and used them.
“Such is football. You have to accept it though,” said Ncube.
TEAMS
Hwange: T. Mawaya; E. Chipeta; P. Mpelele; D. Boriwondo; G. Ndlovu; A. Tshuma, I. Masame; N. Siwela (F. Vimisai, 50th min); R. Jongwe (64th min); G. Zulu; O Lungu
Black Mambas: T. Mateyaunga; P. Muswere; T. Chinungo; B. Nyahunzvi; P. Marazanye; B. Chirumanzi; I. Nyoni (N. Ncube, 88th min); L. Chibwiro; T. Rantokoane; K. Chimbadzwa; H. Chimutimunzeve (G. Mangani, 72nd min).
Online Reporter