Kwekwe Utd, GreenFuel share spoils

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Kwekwe United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1

GreenFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0)1

NEWLY appointed Kwekwe United coach Paul Chimalizeni is confident his side will survive relegation after grinding out a one-all draw against Green Fuel in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Bata yesterday.

He believes they have enough quality to mount a charge that will lift them from the foot of the log table.

Chimalizeni was taking charge of his first match as head coach after taking over at the Midlands side midweek.

Defender Tafadzwa Muzenda thrust Kwekwe United into the lead in the first half, but Clive Rupiya levelled for the Chisumbanje-based outfit.

“I am confident that this team will survive relegation, I’m very confident about that,” he said.

“What gives me the confidence is the quality of the youngsters and their attitude. They have the right attitude and zeal to work hard.

“This was only my first game in charge and I’m happy with what I have seen and how we played.”

The match started off at a snail pace with neither team exerting themselves on the match.

Kwekwe United surged ahead after 24 minutes through Muzenda when the left back slotted the ball home from close range albeit via a deflection from a GreenFuel defender.

The goal triggered the visitors into urgency, as they started to control proceedings.

However, they struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Godknows Mutina’s stinging shot from a distance drawing a fine save from Kwekwe United goalkeeper Elton Nechiware.

The second half was more of the same, things changed after the introduction of veteran Collins Shuwa.

That substitution for GreenFuel gave some life to their play as they began to threaten going forward.

They eventually levelled matters through Rupiya, who connected well with Emmanuel Chikwende’s cross off a free kick.

GreenFuel came close on numerous occasions thereafter but lacked the killer instinct to finish off the encounter.

And the GreenFuel coach, Taurai Mangwiro, bemoaned his side’s lack of precision as their biggest letdown this season.

“The inability to kill off games has been our biggest undoing,” Mangwiro said.

“We have been in positions where we have led but dropped points, today we had to chase the match, it is our inability to put away chances that is disappointing.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table

P W D L F A GD Pts

MWOS 14 8 6 0 17 5 12 30

Simba Bhora 14 7 5 2 16 6 10 26

Scottland 13 6 5 2 13 5 8 23

ZPC Kariba 14 5 7 2 13 6 7 22

Herentals 14 6 4 4 12 9 3 22

TelOne 14 5 6 3 17 13 4 21

Ngezi Platinum 14 5 6 3 13 11 2 21

FC Platinum 14 3 11 0 9 6 3 20

Highlanders 14 4 7 3 15 10 5 19

Manica 14 4 7 3 10 11 -1 19