adminMOTOR ACTION coach, Joey Antipas, yesterday painted a gloomy picture of the state of affairs in the Mighty Bulls camp and hinted that the 2010 league champions could struggle to survive the chop this season.
This followed a disappointing defeat at the hands of Monomotapa at Rufaro yesterday.
The Mighty Bulls fell to second half goals from Agrippa Murimba and Monomotapa captain of the day Ronald Chitiyo who scored with a well taken shot in the 59th minute.
Midfielder Edward Tembo, who was guilty of missing a sitter in the 68th minute, managed to reduce the arrears 10 minutes later when he made a good run into the box and rounded the goalkeeper.
Despite a slow start by both teams, Motor Action could have at least taken the lead in the first half as they created several scoring opportunities.
Antipas was not amused by his team’s performance as the Mighty Bulls showed little fighting spirit on their way to their eighth defeat of the season which pinned them to second place, from the bottom of the table, at the end of the first half games of the season.
The former Warriors’ coach said the club was facing serious financial challenges which has made it difficult for the players to produce results without proper motivation.
“We are capable of competing but we have got serious lack of motivation. I should say the zeal to win is just not there too. At the end of the day if you take a donkey to a watering hole, you cannot force it to drink.
“Our position on the log is not good. We are staring relegation and for us to get out of this mess it needs a plan.
“We are facing serious (financial) challenges and at the moment we haven’t got a plan B in place,” said Antipas.
Merciful Ncube had the first chance of the match when he found himself in a good position upfront but he failed to control a long ball from the left wing, eight minutes into the game.
Monomotapa goalkeeper, Fidias Chifamba, was called into action in the 31st minute as he tipped Blessing Sande’s dipping shot over the crossbar.
Chifamba then dived to his right to deny Ncube’s close range header six minutes later to end the first half goalless.
But Monomotapa broke the deadlock soon after the restart when Murimba, who was well-positioned inside the box, had the easy task to tap the ball home following good work by Chitiyo on the right flank.
Chitiyo then added his name to the scoresheet when he unleashed a powerful shot after the Motor Action defenders had failed to deal with a low cross into their goal area by Murimba.
Monomotapa could have added two more goals, with a little bit of precision, but substitute Clive Boroma’s shot came off the cross bar in the 85th minute.
Motor Action had their goalkeeper Marlon Jani to thank after stopping Zvikomborero Bizeki’s shot in a one-on-one situation towards the end.
Nkululeko Dhlamini, who held the fort for Monomotapa in the absence head coach Biggy Zuze, currently attending a Caf B Licence course, was relieved by the win.
Monomotapa, who had last won a match on May 11 when they beat Tipple B, climbed three places up the ladder to 10th place on the log table with 17 points from 15 starts.
“It was a good day in office and collecting three points after so much time of struggling was long over due for the guys.
“The points are important because if you look at the log table there is not so much difference between the teams.
“So the most important thing is to keep winning and closing in on the top teams,” said Dhlamini.
Teams
Monomotapa – F. Chifamba, O. Mwerahari, H. Mugoniwa, L. Sithole, J. Tigere, C. Rukwanhi, R. Chitiyo, N. Melson, Z. Bizeki, A. Murimba, P. Tonha (C. Boroma, 34th minute).
Motor Action – M. Jani, P. Bernard, D. Walaza, G. Moyo, C. Mutero, B. Sande, C. Matawu, E. Tembo, L. Matawu, M. Ncube (D. Chivandire, 60th minute), M. Mburayi ( N. Maviri, 60th minute).
Online Reporter