Online Reporter
Alberto Chamwadoro
JOEL Luphahla did not hide his frustration. Twice his side worked their way in front, and twice they let it slip in a breathless 2-2 draw with MWOS at Mandava Stadium.
The damage, in his view, was self-inflicted.
It had been open from the first whistle. Trevor Bhunu tested MWOS goalkeeper Tedious Baye inside a minute, and the tone was set, both teams willing to play, both leaving space.
MWOS tried to settle, Tafadzwa George saw his effort blocked, and Thubelihle Jubane failed to connect with a teasing delivery as the early exchanges swung from end to end.
FC Platinum struck first in the 15th minute. A foul on the edge of the box handed Abraham Mbakonja Tjahikika a sight of goal, and he made it count, curling home his first for the club to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
The home side should have been further ahead. Garikai Dematsika first skied his effort, then rattled the crossbar as Platinum pushed for a second.
Those misses came back to bite just before the break.
With a minute left in the half, goalkeeper Ekoi tried to play out under pressure, was robbed by Wilson Mensah, and rolled into an empty net. From control to level in a moment, 1-1 at the interval.
The second half never settled.
There was a scare early on when David Mangezi was stretchered off, briefly halting the game, before FC Platinum reshuffled with a triple change that injected fresh energy.
Trevor Bhunu went close twice, first blazing over, then forcing a save from Baye as the hosts pressed again.
They found the breakthrough in the 70th minute. Bhunu made no mistake this time, finishing to restore FC Platinum’s lead, and was immediately withdrawn to warm applause. But MWOS were not done.
Magondo produced the moment of the match nine minutes later, curling in from the left to pull the visitors level again at 2-2, a goal that summed up their refusal to fold.
The closing stages turned chaotic.
Oscar Bhebhe went into the book for a late tackle, Mbongeni Ndlovu was stretchered off, and tempers boiled over. Jeremiah Makangira was sent off for dissent, and Tadiwa Muchenje followed with a straight red after a heavy challenge on Billy Veremu, leaving FC Platinum down to nine men.
Even with the numerical advantage, MWOS could not find a winner.
At the final whistle, MWOS coach Lloyd Mutasa took the point.
“Another tough encounter, you look at Joe and his charges, Joe is a good coach with very good youngsters,” said Mtasa.
Meanwhile, Agama and Simba Bhora played a 2-2 draw at Wadzanai yesterday.
