Online Reporter
Ray Bande in Mutare
MWOS have lost ground in the title race after the 1-1 draw with Manica Diamonds at Sakubva yesterday, but for the home team it could be worse.
Up to 10 teams, second from bottom Dynamos with 25 points and eighth-placed ZPC Kariba with 34 points, are only separated by nine points on the Castle Lager Premiership table.
With eight games before the season ends, Manica Diamonds on 28 points and occupying the last safe position, could just go down the drain.
The Mutare-based side will look back and realise that yesterday’s defeat — which saw MWOS’s Wilson Mensah cancel Anelka Chivandire’s goal, right at the death — was their greatest undoing.
“It’s unfortunate we conceded a silly goal, one we should have avoided. At least I could see a marked improvement in the play on the part of my team.
“We played well and we’re duly rewarded with a late goal for our efforts. I thought we could have scored this goal earlier and possibly win the encounter,” said MWOS coach Lloyd Mutasa.
“The good thing about it is that we managed to put to good use all the lessons we got from our previous matches. We were punished right at the death in the match against Simba Bhora and that is also what we did today as we also managed to punish our opponents right at the death. That is the name of the game,” he added.
The home side paid dearly for complacency which saw MWOS collect the point in what was an entertaining Castle Lager Premiership encounter. However, Manica Diamonds will have every reason to feel hard done by the referee Arnold Ncube’s decision to add five minutes after regulation time given a flawless second half that barely had any stoppages.
Before kick-off, both teams observed a minute of silence for former Orlando Pirates and Chicken Inn forward Tendai Ndoro, who was laid to rest yesterday in Bulawayo.
Manica Diamonds were the first to unsettle their opponent and could have surged ahead early in the fifth minute when Lawrence Masibera’s soft header was blocked by a defender before Bret Amidu lurched on the rebound but his effort went far wide.
The home team was rewarded for their efforts in the 77th minute when second-half substitute Anelka Chivandire flicked home captain Farai Banda corner kick to give the Gem Boys the lead.
During the course of the encounter, both teams, after displaying a highly entertaining and competitive encounter, missed a number of clear-cut scoring opportunities.
But the home team was soon to learn that it is not over until it’s over.
Wilson Mensah did the job.
But this was also a game MWOS lost a lot of ground in the title race.
As expected, Mutasa, a highly religious person, expressed hope that he will get positive results going into forthcoming matches.
“We just have to push harder as we go into our forthcoming matches. There is still everything to play for. With the help of the almighty we will achieve our goals,” said Mutasa. His opposite number Tafadzwa Mashiri blamed it all on his team’s complacency.
“It’s really painful that we had to drop two points when the match was almost over. I consider this more of two points dropped than a point gained. It’s so painful. We just have to soldier on and fight another day,” said Mashiri
