Lapse in concentration costs Hwange

Tobias Mandoreba in Hwange
Hwange 1- 1 ZPC Kariba
A well taken goal by Talent Chawapiwa in the last minute of the match prevented the coalminers from switching off ZPC Kariba in an evenly contested Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played in simmering temperatures at the Colliery Stadium yesterday.

The goal broke the hearts of Hwange fans, who thought their team had recovered from the 0-1 away loss to Chicken Inn last Thursday.

A lapse in concentration by the usually dependable defensive duo of David Boriwondo and Gerald Ndlovu saw Chawapiwa getting all the time in the world to control a long ball from substitute Daniel Chakupe inside the box before banging home past goalkeeper Future Sibanda.

The strike cancelled a 30m wonder strike by Hwange winger Pritchard Mpelele in the 70th minute after he had latched onto a half clearance by the ZPC Kariba defence.

The screamer left former Hwange keeper Takabva Mawaya clutching thin air.

Away from the goals, this encounter only came to life in the second half as the visitors spent the entire opening stanza camped in their own half waiting to hit the miners on counter attacks.

Hwange could have grabbed the opener in the 10th minute when anchorman Andrew Tshuma latched onto a sitter by Hwange talisman and one of the PSL’s players of the moment Gift Mbweti, but his thunderbolt brought the best out of Mawaya.

Mawaya was to produce another spectacular save in a one-on-one situation midway through the first half to deny Mbweti, who had escaped the close attention of big defenders Tawanda Nyamandwe and Boid Mutukure.

ZPC Kariba came out of their shells in the last half with Never Tigere hitting the post seven minutes into the second half following an attack involving Tigere.

Moments after Tigere’s effort, Mpelele could have drawn first blood only to watch his rasping shot from the edge of the box crashing against the crossbar with Mawaya beaten.

Tactical substitutions by ZPC Kariba coach Sunday Chidzambwa, throwing in Daniel Chakupe and Godknows Mangani for Lincolin Zvasiya and Tigere saved the day as the duo lifted the game with some lovely attacking play through the wings. Chakupe was instrumental in the equaliser.

The same cannot be said of Hwange coach Mebelo Njekwa’s substitution, as home fans were furious with him at the end of the match for making a defensive minded substitution to safeguard the slender lead by pulling out young defender Wilfred Munorewi, who had a decent debut game in Hwange colours, for Phakamani Dube, instead of throwing in an attacker.

An unfazed Njekwa admitted that some lapse in concentration by his defence had cost them three precious points.
“The defence slept on duty and allowed ZPC Kariba to snatch a point.

“However, coming from a loss, it is better to get one point because it adds onto our tally.

“We will continue fighting,” said Njekwa.

Chidzambwa was happy with a point away from home.

“The match was a balanced affair and I can’t complain after getting a point. We had a bad first half, but after the changes in the second half things got better for us,” Chidzambwa said.

Teams
Hwange: F Sibanda; A Chuma; W Munorewi( P Dube 81st min); D Boriwondo; G Ndlovu; O Moyo; C Muleya; F Vimisai; P Mpelele; G Zulu; G Mbweti
ZPC Kariba: T Mawaya; S Appiah; B Mutukure; T Nyamandwe; T Munyanduri; M Kanyarimwe; T Mamvura; L Zvasiya( D Chakupe 46th min); N Tigere(G Mangani 75th min); O Mukuradare( T Mahori 81st min); T Chawapiwa. — @tobymandox