Online Reporter
Bruce Chikuni
Sports Reporter
MWOS needed a late strike from the spot from Salif Cheya to extend their unbeaten run in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League to nine games.
The Gem Boys were in control of the proceedings for the larger part of the game, and many were left convinced that the final scoreline was just meant to be.
Manica Diamonds coach, Jairosi Tapera, felt his boys deserved to win the match.
“I’m proud of my boys. They were much more organized, defending well. We closed the gaps that these guys were anticipating to use. We knew they would play on the blind side. They ended up being very desperate, and that’s what we really needed.
“And the moment they were desperate, we were bringing them on the wings. We could have even scored in the first half before Paga got a clear chance. We scored a beautiful goal, a very nice cross.
“They had defended the flicker, which meant they had to put us on the side. We scored it, but even the penalty, the guy who was judged to have touched the ball, he was facing up there with his back to the guy who cleared,” said Tapera.
He stressed that he still needs to watch the replay footage to be convinced if justice was served.
“I need to be convinced if I were to look at it because it was on TV. I need to watch it on TV and be convinced that all these two goals were genuinely our fault or they were genuinely a fault of somebody else.
“We played against the other team at home. We were leading 2-1, and from nowhere, they got a penalty. It was a 2-2 draw. Probably it gives us a lot of courage to kill off the games, to get chances and score goals, probably more goals,” he said.
His counterpart, Lloyd Mutasa, hailed his men for a spirited fight.
“I think we started a bit slow. We gave them room to play in the first half. They scored from what we thought was an avoidable goal that we were supposed to avoid.
“But such is football, you make such mistakes. But I’m happy the youngsters were very resolute. They fought to the death, and we managed to get a point. And a point moved us to the top of the log. We are fine with that for now. And we look forward to our next encounter against Chicken Inn.
“We know it’s going to be a tough encounter. Every time you play, if you’re on top of the log, everyone wants to beat you, everyone wants to break the jinx,” said Mutasa.
Ask Rupande fired the visitors ahead in the 11th minute as he chipped Martin Mapisa, who was badly positioned to stop what appeared to be a cross. Tinotenda Mutyambizi survived a red card scare just five minutes from the break following a crude tackle on Nigel Mpinduki.
Baye was called into action in the 74th minute with a powerful strike from Tafadzwa George forcing a corner kick.
The hosts were given a penalty from the resultant corner kick after Banda’s clearance was handled by Amidu, who was too close to let the ball flow.
Tichaona Mbire pointed to the spot, and second-half substitute Salif Cheya sent Baye the wrong way, and Ngoni almost erupted with joy in what was also his second goal of the season.
Mpinduki thought he had restored the lead five minutes later, but the nearside assistant ruled out the goal for offside.
Many felt the goal should have counted since an MWOS defender appeared to have flicked the ball on Mpinduki’s way.
