admin
Ray Bande in MUTARE
Manica Diamonds . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
Tenax CS FC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 0
EXPERIENCE prevailed over determination when Manica Diamonds got the better of cross-town rivals Tenax in an exciting Castle Lager Premiership football match played before a sizeable crowd at Sakubva yesterday.
Manica Diamonds and Tenax featured in this first-ever top-flight league season local derby encounter for Manicaland yesterday.
Even though both teams have played against each other on a number of occasions, including in the second tier league and in the Chibuku Super Cup tournament last year, yesterday Manica Diamonds and Tenax tussled for the all-important league’s three points for the first time since the latter joined the domestic Premiership.
With all the ingredients of a potentially explosive local derby in place, it was much more than the three points at stake as the bragging rights are also there to fight for.
The match started with both teams showing determination to take the game to their opponents but somehow both missed a number of scoring opportunities.
It was Manica Diamonds who then managed to break the deadlock 23 minutes into the first half when slippery Charles Teguru fired home a blistering shot from close-range to score what ended up being the only goal of the match.
For some reason, Tenax had more sympathisers on the terraces than their well-resourced opponents as their fine moments ignited more ululations from the sizeable crowd in attendance.
Much as Tenax coach Shadreck Mugurasave would have wanted to get the three points at all costs, it was Manica Diamonds’ gaffer Johanisi Nhumwa who probably came into yesterday’s tie with a heavier burden on his shoulders following a poor streak of results that invited public display of discontent among his side’s fans and club leadership.
Nhumwa conceeds that he badly needed the three points against Tenax.
“We came into this match knowing fully well that we just had to get the three points at all costs.
“I am happy with the result and the three points gained will place us in a better position on the log table,” said the former Masvingo United coach in a post-match interview.
The absence of Farai Mugumwa and Nyasha Chintuli because of parent club contract restrictions was evident as the Gem Boys, as Manica Diamomds are fondly referred to, created more scoring opportunities, especially in the first half but somehow failed to convert them.
Strikers Mugumwa and Chintuli are Tenax players who moved to Manica Diamonds at the start of this year when league action resumed and the two have scored a total of six goals since they started donning the white and gold stripe.
Mugumwa has scored only once after featuring for Manica Diamonds in a total of 11 matches, coming in the starting line up six times and as a substitute on five occasions.
Chintuli hit the nets five times since joining Manica Diamonds in the nine matches he has been on the team sheet.
But together with suspended Lloyd Katongomara, both did not feature in yesterday’s local derby.
Nhumwa acknowledged that, with a little bit more precision in front of goal, they could have wrapped the match in the first half.
“While we are happy with the three points, we remain mindful of the need to act on our frontline. We could have scored about three goals in the first half but we missed the chances,” said Nhumwa.
Tenax coach Mugurasave praised his team for putting up a fine display and feels they were just unlucky to have lost the derby.
“I think my boys did well to repel everything that Manica Diamonds threw at them but we were just unlucky not to have scored.
“We managed to create chances but somehow goals could not come by.
“That is part of the game. We will go back to the drawing board and work on the mistakes that we made.
“We have no doubt that we will collect points in matches to come,” said the former Buffaloes player and coach.
Online Reporter