adminRay Bande in Mutare
Buffaloes 0-3 FC Platinum
FC Platinum forward Brian Muzondiwa was the toast of the day as he grabbed a hat-trick to condemn Mutare side Buffaloes to their heaviest defeat at home this season in an otherwise dull Castle Lager Premiership soccer match at Sakubva yesterday.
Without coach Saul Chaminuka on bench, who is ostensibly not feeling well and taking a rest at his Chivhu farm, Buffaloes were technically inept, especially in defence.
Until yesterday, the Mutare army outfit, who are battling to evade the dreaded chop, had never succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at home since their return to the top-flight league in 2012 and this result could be a clear signal to them that escaping relegation will not be a stroll in the park for them this season.
However, it was not really out of the visitors’ sheer brilliance but rather some silly schoolboy blunders by Buffaloes’ goalkeeper Chenge Tandadzai and his centrebacks that the Zvishavane side managed to win this encounter.
Muzondiwa took advantage of ball watching defenders 28 minutes into the match and headed home from close range when he got to the end of a cross from Tatenda Dzumbunu to thrust the platinum miners into the lead.
Muzondiwa was back to terrorise the home team’s defence four minutes later when he snatched the ball from Buffaloes defender Joseph Jambo’s feet, charged towards goal and toe-poked the ball over sprawling Buffaloes goalminder Tandadzai to score the visitors second goal of the day.
Muzondiwa completed his hat-trick at just a minute before the break when he easily dribbled past the Buffaloes centrebacks Jambo and Philip Chandisaita before he went past the jittery goalkeeper Tandadzai who was almost 15 yards off the line and placed the ball into a yawning net.
Buffaloes’ assistant coach Joseph “Shaba” Takaringofa conceded that his team did not play well but blamed it on the long Premiership break during which his team was inactive.
“We didn’t play well and I think it’s all because of the break that we had in the league. The boys hadn’t been training and there were no friendly matches during that break hence we lacked match fitness,” he said.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza said his team could not play their usual game owing to the turf at Sakubva.
“We couldn’t play our usual game because of the turf but otherwise I’m happy with the result. We came here looking for a good result and we got it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dongo Sawmill and Chicken Inn drew one all.
Teams
Buffaloes: C Tandadzai; K Mwaramba; F Banda (K Mangondo 46th minute); P Chandisaita; J Jambo; P Matizanadzo; S Nkata (R Mwenga 66th minute); B Mushunje; J Takunda; V Makaha; L Katongomara:
FC Platinum: P Mhari; S Shoko; G Bello; K Moyo; R Sibanda (E Moyo 55th minute); W Mhango (T Kamusoko 40th minute); A Gahadzikwa; T Dzumbunu; W Musona; B Muzondiwa; T Rukanda (S Sibanda 78th minute):
Online Reporter